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Brave  Deeds  of 
Confederate  Soldiers 


PHILIP  ALEXANDER  BRUCE,  LL.D. 

Author  of 

"  ROBERT  E.  LEE,"  "  THE  RISE  OF  THE  NEW 

SOUTH."  Etc. 


PHILADELPHIA 

GEORGE  W.  JACOBS  &  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1916,  by 

George  W.  Jacobs  &  Company 

Published  October,  1916 


AU  rights  reserved 
Printed  in  U.S.  A. 


To 
H.  Gerald  S  my  the,  Esq., 

of 
Turibridge  Wells,  England, 

The  Best  Confederate  of  Them  All 


Foreword 

In  the  composition  of  the  present  volume,  I  was 
indebted  particularly  to  John  Esten  Cooke's  Wear- 
ing of  the  Gray,  and  Col.  Jennings  C.  Wise's  Mil- 
itary History  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  for 
the  vivid  impression  which  they  gave  me  of  the 
high,  the  gallant,  and  the  romantic  aspects  of  the 
Confederate  Soldier's  character.  I  was  also  in- 
debted to  Mr.  W.  H.  Sargeant,  of  the  Norfolk 
Public  Library,  for  numerous  courtesies  that  facil- 
itated my  use  of  the  valuable  collection  of  works 
relating  to  Confederate  History  now  in  his  custody. 

P.  A.  B. 

Norfolk,  Virginia. 
July  15,  1916. 


Contents 

I.    Military  Influences  in  the  Old 

Southern  Life 
II.    Belle  Boyd,  the  Spy     . 

III.  Up  in  a  Balloon  .... 

IV.  Lieutenant  Robins  and  the  Vanguard 
V.    The  Marion  of  the  West     . 

VI.  Morgan  Crosses  the  Ohio    . 

VII.  The  Boy  Artillerist    . 

VIII.  Mosby  and  the  Partisan  Rangers 

IX.  Capture  of  General  Stoughton  . 


X.  The  Wagon  Train  and  Greenback  Raids  181 

XL  Private  Munson's  Escape  from  Prison  .  201 

XII.  Adventures  of  a  Scout         .         .         .  227 

XIII.  The  Cadets'  Baptism  of  Fire         .         .  255 

XIV.  The  Dash  on  Baltimore        .         .         .281 
XV.  Lieutenant  Wise  Carries  the  Message 

to  Lee 301 

XVI.  How  the  Colonel  Saved  the  Town  327 


Paqb 
11 

31 
53 
73 
103 
115 
135 
155 
165 


Illustrations 

The   Federal   Rear   Guard   Had 

Just  Crossed  Over     .         .         .     Frontispiece 

Bryan  Was  to  Use  a  Small  Flag 

in   Signaling     .  .         .  Facing  page    62 

The      Column       Was      Turned 

Towards  Buffington  Island  "     122 

Poured  One  Shrieking  Shell 
After  Another  Into  This 
Mass "         "152 

The   Frenzied   Drivers   Cracked 

Their  Whips  and  Shouted  .  "     188 

For  This  Refuge  He  Made  With 

All  Speed      .         .         .         .         "        "236 

They    Leveled    Their    Guns    at 

the  Engineer         ...  "     290 

The  Largest  Store-house  in  the 

Town  Was  on  Fire       .         .  "     334 


CHAPTER  I 

Military  Influences  in  the 
Old  Southern  Life 


CHAPTER  I 

MILITARY  INFLUENCES  IN  THE  OLD  SOUTHERN 

LIFE 

If  any  one  of  my  readers  could  have  mounted 
into  an  aeroplane  in  1860,  and  taken  a  flight  from 
the  Potomac  to  the  Rio  Grande,  he  would  have 
found  himself  throughout  his  aerial  journey  looking 
down  upon  a  region  on  which  nature  had  bestowed 
many  striking  features,  but  man  only  one.  As  he 
coursed  along,  he  would  have  observed  a  land  where 
agriculture  alone  had  left  a  perceptible  mark;  but 
not  such  a  mark,  however,  as  to  recall  the  well 
tilled  countries  of  the  Old  World.  The  greater  pro- 
portion of  the  landscape  would  have  been  seen  to  be 
overgrown  with  woods;  open  fields  would  have  been 
discovered  here  and  there  on  the  uplands,  and  nar- 
row belts  of  ground  in  cotton,  tobacco,  or  corn 
along  the  banks  of  all  the  streams;  here  and  there 
the  roof  of  a  planter's  mansion  would  have  been 
detected  peeping  above  the  foliage  of  the  trees;  or  a 
yeoman's  humbler  house  shining  on  a  bare  hillside; 
or  the  cabins  of  the  slaves  nestling  in  the  shadow  of 
barns  and  stables. 

The  spires  of  few  large  cities  would  have  been 
seen,  and  only  here  and  there  the  smoke  from  the 


14  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

chimneys  of  a  country  town.  Still  more  rarely 
would  lines  of  railway  have  been  noticed.  There 
were  not  enough  of  these  lines  to  link  up  every 
corner  of  that  almost  boundless  rural  region.  It  is 
true  that  the  great  divisions  of  the  South  were 
united  by  the  locomotive,  but  vast  areas  were  still 
remote  from  all  facilities  for  transportation  except  by 
steamboat  or  batteau;  the  principal  means  of  getting 
about,  not  only  from  neighborhood  to  neighborhood, 
but  not  infrequently  from  one  important  town  to 
another,  consisted  still  of  the  riding  horse  and  the 
carriage;  and  for  the  accommodation  of  their  owners, 
there  were  comfortable  though  primitive  inns  or  ord- 
inaries at  all  the  crossings  of  the  principal  public 
highways. 

The  seclusion  of  the  whole  region  left  a  very  deep 
impression  on  the  disposition  of  its  inhabitants.  In 
a  general  way,  it  fostered  in  them  a  passionate,  an 
almost  romantic,  love  of  the  soil;  a  love  that  was 
further  intensified  by  their  descent  as  a  body  from 
the  original  settlers  of  that  part  of  the  Union;  for 
this  meant  that  they  and  their  forbears  had  been 
associated  with  it  for  many  generations.  Indeed, 
time  had  brought  about  a  complete  identity  of 
feeling,  sentiment,  and  points  of  view  even  where 
the  earliest  population  was  sprung  from  different 
European  nationalities.  The  fact  too  that  the  vast 
majority   of   the   inhabitants   had   been   engaged   in 


MILITARY  INFLUENCES  15 

the  same  calling  for  so  long  a  period  had  brought 
to  bear  a  powerful  influence  to  give  the  final  touch 
to  this  homogeneity,  which  was  to  do  so  much  to 
bind  the  people  of  the  South  together  throughout 
the  war. 

To  a  people  like  the  Southern  people,  retired 
from  the  world  at  large,  and  in  their  family  seats 
from  each  other  also,  home  had  a  meaning  far  more 
sentimental  than  it  has  for  a  people  who  live  in 
swarming  cities,  where  a  change  of  residence  from 
one  house  or  one  street  to  another  is  a  very  common 
occurrence.  Those  homes  in  the  Southern  country- 
sides had,  in  most  instances,  come  down  from  a  dis- 
tant past;  they  were  invested  with  the  sacred  inter- 
est of  ancestral  traditions  and  personal  association 
alike;  and  were  expected  to  descend  to  a  remote  pos- 
terity of  the  same  blood,  who,  in  their  turn,  would 
look  upon  them  with  the  same  affection.  This  love 
of  the  family  centre  was  shared  by  the  small  and 
large  land-owner  equally,  and  was  one  of  the  strong- 
est ties  that  united  all  classes  in  the  life  of  the  gen- 
eral community. 

It  was  this  love  of  home,  with  its  thronging  recol- 
lections of  the  past  both  near  and  far, — this  clear 
vision  of  a  house  surrounded  by  ancient  trees,  per- 
haps, and  standing  in  the  midst  of  a  wide  rural 
domain,  or  of  a  few  acres  only, — that  nerved  the 
arm  of  many  a  Southern  soldier  and  strengthened 


16  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

his  soul  in  repelling  invasion.  Love  of  the  South 
was  inextricably  mixed  up  with  this  love  of  the 
family  hearth,  whether  imposing  or  humble  in  char- 
acter. Love  of  one  particular  spot,  of  one  neighbor- 
hood, of  one  State,  was  the  foundation  stone  -of  the 
love  of  the  entire  region  which  entered  so  deeply 
into  the  spirit  of  the  Confederate  soldier;  and  men 
who  cared  nothing  whatever  for  the  political  causes  of 
the  war  fought  just  as  bravely  as  those  who  did, 
because  they  were  animated  by  this  intense  local 
and  sectional  patriotism,  which  had  been  largely  pro- 
duced by  the  retired  country  life  that  they  had  led 
on  their  own  inherited  estates,  whether  great  or 
small  in  area. 

Another  influence  which  more  directly  encouraged 
the  military  spirit  arose  from  the  fact  that  the 
people  of  the  South,  owing  to  their  possession  of  the 
same  economic  and  social  system  from  the  earliest 
Colonial  times,  only  slightly  changed  by  the  adop- 
tion of  a  Republican  form  of  government,  were  more 
keenly  conscious  of  the  traditions,  customs,  and 
habits  of  the  historic  past  than  the  inhabitants  of 
other  parts  of  the  Union,  where  there  had  been  a 
vast  industrial  growth,  a  great  accumulation  of 
wealth,  and  a  large  addition  of  foreign  citizens. 
Especially  vivid  was  their  recollection  of  the  exploits 
of  their  fathers  and  grandsires  in  the  different  wars 
in  which  the  United  States  had  been  engaged.    By 


MILITARY  INFLUENCES  17 

numerous  firesides  on  plain  and  mountain  as  late  as 
1860,  stirring  tales  were  related  of  heroic  conduct 
and  poignant  suffering  during  the  incursions  of  the 
Indians  along  the  Southern  borders.  Many  a  soldier 
still  survived  who  had  followed  General  Jackson  to 
the  battle  of  the  Horseshoe,  and  General  Taylor  to 
the  skirmishes  of  the  Everglades;  while  all  the  way 
down  the  Alleghanies,  from  the  Holston  to  the  Ala- 
bama, there  were  still  pointed  out  the  scenes  where 
the  men  in  buckskin,  with  rifle  in  hand,  had  as 
pioneers  fought  the  cunning  savages  waving  the 
tomahawk  and  the  scalping  knife. 

But  the  exploits  of  Marion  and  Sumter,  Light 
Horse  Harry  Lee  and  Morgan,  and  many  a  local 
hero  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  were  narrated  with 
still  keener  pride,  and  with  quite  as  much  familiar- 
ity as  if  those  deeds  of  dazzling  gallantry  had  been 
performed  within  the  memory  of  the  speakers. 
King's  Mountain  and  the  Cowpens  were  as  well 
known  in  detail  to  the  old  men  as  to  the  brightest 
schoolboys,  and  added  fuel  to  the  patriotic  ardour 
and  the  military  spirit  that  were  felt  in  mansion  and 
log  house  alike.  The  victories  of  the  Mexican  cam- 
paigns were  events  of  yesterday,  and  few  Southern 
counties  were  unable  to  boast  of  a  veteran  who  had 
marched  in  the  ranks  under  Scott  or  Taylor.  Many 
a  newly  built  home  beneath  the  Southern  oaks  and 
magnolias    bore    the    name    of    Monterey,    Resaca, 


18  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

Montevideo,  Buena  Vista  or  Montezuma.  Daredevil 
expeditions  like  those  which  the  filibuster  Walker, 
as  brilliant  an  adventurer  as  Aaron  Burr,  led  against 
Central  America,  aroused  the  warmest  sympathy 
and  enthusiasm  in  the  South,  where  their  largest 
number  of  volunteers  were  obtained,  because  there  so 
many  men  were  animated  by  an  irrepressible  thirst 
for  dangerous  enterprises. 

It  was  due  to  this  universal  love  of  adventure, — 
this  hunger  for  an  active  and  stirring  life, — that  Sir 
Walter  Scott  enjoyed  such  extraordinary  popularity 
in  the  homes  of  the  Southern  people.  There  were 
few  libraries  of  importance  among  them  that  were 
lacking  in  those  splendid  volumes  in  which  he  has 
drawn  such  romantic  pictures  of  the  entrenched 
camp,  the  martial  council,  and  the  sombre  castle 
swarming  to  the  battlements  with  mail-clad  defen- 
ders; or  has  described  so  vividly  the  headlong 
charges  and  the  sword-to-sword  clashes  of  the  battle- 
field; or  related  so  graphically  the  adventures  of 
wandering  soldiers  of  fortune  in  Highland  glen  or  on 
the  plains  of  France  and  Palestine. 

It  was  due  to  this  military  spirit,  which  found  such 
pleasure  in  the  books  of  the  great  Scottish  novelist, 
that  the  tournament  remained  down  to  the  beginning 
of  the  war  one  of  the  most  popular  kinds  of  amuse- 
ment in  the  South.  It  is  true  that  this  sport  did 
not   take   the   ancient   form   of   a   personal   combat 


MILITARY  INFLUENCES  19 

between  knights-at-arm,  but  for  clear  sight,  firm 
nerves,  skillful  horsemanship,  and  sheer  physical 
strength,  the  tilting  in  a  Southern  field  was  almost 
as  keen  a  test  as  the  tilting  in  the  lists  of  the  Middle 
Ages. 

The  prevalence  of  the  duello  was  another  indica- 
tion of  the  existence  of  the  military  spirit.  It  was 
considered  by  the  gentlemen  of  the  South  to  be  the 
proper  method  of  settling  every  bitter  altercation 
which  had  ended  in  a  personal  insult,  while  with 
the  lower  orders  of  society  in  the  same  communities 
the  duello  usually  took  the  form  of  a  violent  brawl, 
in  which  blood  was  apt  to  be  shed  without  regard 
to  the  etiquette  of  the  code.  Men  were  aware  that 
they  would  be  held  responsible  in  the  duelling  field 
for  slander  and  calumny;  and  they  also  knew  that 
they  would  be  branded  as  cowards  should  they 
refuse  a  challenge. 

A  more  rational  influence  in  encouraging  the  mil- 
itary spirit  was  the  necessity  imposed  on  the  men  in 
the  secluded  plantation  houses  of  the  South  to 
defend  the  women  and  children  of  their  families 
against  possible  attack  or  intrusion.  Not  only 
were  these  homes  generally  in  a  retired  situation, 
but  they  were  nearly  always  surrounded  by  numer- 
ous slaves,  who,  however  peaceable  they  might  appear 
to  be,  yet  at  any  time  might  rise  in  revolt.  There 
were  no  policemen  at  the  next  crossroads,  who,  by 


20  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

a  blast  upon  a  horn,  could  be  summoned  at  once  to 
give  aid  in  putting  down  an  insurrection.  The 
fathers,  the  sons,  and  the  husbands  never  for  a 
moment  forgot  the  vital  fact  that  their  own  strong 
arms  must  be  relied  on  first  of  all  to  save  those 
dear  to  them  from  every  kind  of  outrage,  whether 
threatened  by  freemen  or  bondsmen;  and  this  responsi- 
bility they  did  not  fail  to  meet  with  a  resolute  spirit 
whenever  they  were  faced  by  it. 

The  military  tendency  was  further  encouraged 
by  the  zealous  interest  with  which  the  muster  had 
always  been  regarded  throughout  the  South.  In 
some  measure,  this  was  due  to  the  presence  of  so 
many  slaves.  At  regular  intervals,  every  man 
capable  of  bearing  arms  was  required  to  repair  to  a 
field,  which,  for  many  years,  perhaps,  had  been 
chosen  for  the  drilling.  Here  he  and  his  companions 
were  put  through  a  series  of  manoeuvres;  and,  how- 
ever uncouth  and  awkward  they  might  show  them- 
selves to  be,  they  at  least  were  animated  by  the 
true  spirit  of  patriotic  soldiers.  These  musters  had 
been  begun  in  early  Colonial  times,  and  they  con- 
tinued to  be  held  down  to  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  War.  They  formed  an  instructive  episode  in 
the  life  of  the  community,  for,  by  subjecting  the 
men  of  the  proper  age  to  occasional  military  dis- 
cipline on  a  peaceful  arena,  it  prepared  them,  in 
some  degree,  for  the  stern  duties  of  real  battlefields. 


MILITARY  INFLUENCES  21 

These  occasions  were  generally  made  more  dis- 
tinguished, if  not  more  informative,  by  the  presence 
of  a  veteran  officer,  who  had  won  a  high  reputation 
in  some  previous  war.  Whether  a  mere  looker-on  or 
a  participant  in  the  exercises,  his  share  in  the  event 
gave  it  a  more  serious  meaning  from  a  military 
point  of  view  at  least. 

There  were  other  influences,  which  less  directly 
but  not  less  thoroughly  trained  Southern  men  to 
play  from  the  very  beginning  a  vigorous  part  in  the 
fighting  on  the  battlefield,  or  in  the  marches  that 
preceded  or  followed  each  conflict.  For  instance, 
the  routine  of  their  main  occupation,  agriculture, 
had  a  tendency  to  encourage  in  them  a  manly  and 
hardy  spirit  because  it  required  them  to  spend  most 
of  their  time  out  of  doors.  They  were  unaccustomed 
to  the  inactive  and  sedentary  employments  of  shop 
and  factory,  or  to  the  sheltered  existence  of  city 
pavements  and  tenements;  their  eyes,  except  at 
night,  rested  almost  uninterruptedly  on  the  open 
fields,  the  massive  forests,  the  unrolled  canopy  of 
the  sky;  they  were  familiar  with  every  aspect  of 
the  landscape  as  the  hours  of  light  and  darkness 
passed  over  it,  and  with  every  mark  which  the  dif- 
ferent seasons  left  on  hill  and  vale  and  plain.  Con- 
stant and  prolonged  exposure  had  hardened  their 
frames  to  every  sort  of  weather,— the  driving  rains 
of  spring,  the  exhausting  heats  of  summer,  the  chill 


22  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

blasts  and  blinding  snows  of  winter, — all  had  been 
faced  and  breasted  with  a  spirit  that  was  uncon- 
scious of  discouragement  or  depression.  Whether 
they  were  on  foot  or  on  horseback,  they  withstood 
nature's  bufferings  with  an  unshaken  equanimity, 
for  such  vicissitudes  were  but  the  ordinary  experi- 
ences of  their  daily  lives;  they  knew  the  fields,  the 
woods,  and  the  streams  in  the  vicinity  of  their 
dwelling  houses  as  thoroughly  as  the  scholar  knows 
his  books;  and  they  felt  as  much  at  home  in  the 
most  remote  and  secluded  spots  as  they  did  in  the 
chambers  and  halls  of  their  own  mansions,  or  in 
the  narrow  rooms  of  their  own  log  cabins. 

The  principal  diversions  of  the  Southern  people  were, 
with  few  exceptions,  associated  with  this  life  in  the 
open  air,  and  partook  of  its  free  and  manly  nature. 
They  had  a  particular  fondness  for  hunting.  Now 
to  be  a  hunter  is  the  first  step  to  being  a  warrior. 
The  wary  aboriginal  Indian,  wandering  through  the 
primeval  forests,  was  hunter  and  warrior  at  the 
same  time;  and  it  was  the  skill  with  bow  and  arrow 
acquired  as  a  hunter, — it  was  the  craft  that  he  had 
learned  as  a  woodsman, — which  enabled  him  to 
carry  off  so  many  bloody  scalps  as  a  warrior.  The 
huntsmen  among  the  Southern  people  were  not  to 
be  counted  for  their  number.  There  were  few  young 
men  who  could  recall  the  years  of  their  earliest 
youth  when  they  were  unable  at  least  to  shoot  off  a 


MILITARY  INFLUENCES  23 

gun.  The  father,  returning  home  after  a  day  passed 
in  the  stubble  fields  beating  up  partridges,  rarely- 
failed  to  require  the  small  son,  perhaps  not  ten 
years  of  age,  to  discharge  his  fowling  piece;  and 
should  the  little  fellow  be  severely  kicked,  he  was 
not  permitted  afterwards  to  show  any  fear  when 
ordered  to  shoot  a  second  time.  Every  mansion 
boasted  of  many  guns  of  different  sizes,  and  every 
log  cabin  of  at  least  one,  however  ancient  the 
pattern;  and  none  were  kept  simply  to  ornament 
the  trophy-covered  walls,  whether  built  of  stone  or 
common  logs. 

The  accuracy  of  the  aim  of  these  huntsmen  was 
as  perfect  as  long  experience  by  flood  and  field 
could  make  it.  The  vastness  and  variety  of  the 
region  of  country  which  they  tramped  or  rode  over 
assured  them  all  kinds  of  game  ranging  from  the 
smallest  to  the  largest.  Birds  and  animals  alike 
teemed  in  number.  The  long  line  of  seacoast  was 
haunted  by  flocks  of  ducks,  geese,  swan,  and 
plover;  the  plain  between  the  ocean  and  the  Alle- 
ghanies  by  partridges,  snipe,  woodcock,  wild  turkeys, 
pigeons,  and  doves;  and  the  mountains  by  deer, 
bear,  and  wildcat.  Each  season  offered  a  special 
form  of  sport;  and  few  forms  failed  to  call  for  the 
possession  of  strength  of  body,  keenness  of  eye,  and 
patience  of  spirit  in  their  successful  pursuit.  These 
qualities  were  especially  required  in  the  chase  of  the 
wild  turkey,  bear,  raccoon,  and  fox. 


24  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

The  vast  Southern  forests  were  frequented  by 
numerous  flocks  of  turkeys,  one  of  the  wildest  and 
wariest  of  game  birds,  and  only  to  be  killed  by  the 
exercise  of  cunning  and  caution,  and  by  the  most 
unwearied  energy  on  the  part  of  the  hunter.  This 
was  the  school  in  which  some  of  the  most  famous 
scouts  of  the  Southern  armies  learned  their  art  of 
successfully  following  up  the  enemy. 

There  was  far  more  danger  in  the  pursuit  of  the 
bear,  which  was  found  in  the  swamps  and  cane- 
brakes  of  the  lowlands  as  well  as  in  the  remotest 
mountains.  Many  hours  were  passed  in  the  forests 
in  the  search  for  it;  the  parties  camped  out  at  night; 
and  the  hunt  was  kept  up  all  day  without  regard  to 
the  roughness  of  the  country. 

A  taste  for  life  in  the  open  air,  indifference  to 
personal  risks,  and  forgetfulness  of  continuous 
physical  exertion,  were  also  instilled  by  the  pursuit 
of  the  raccoon,  although  in  itself  a  harmless  animal. 
It  is  true  that  the  only  danger  in  such  a  pursuit 
arose  entirely  from  the  darkness,  in  consequence  of 
which  casualties  from  falling  trees,  snakebites,  and 
plunging  into  deep  bogs  were  likely  to  occur;  but 
the  hunters  were  always  drawn  far  into  the  woods, 
and  thus  learned  to  know  the  forest  as  well  under 
its  nocturnal  appearance  as  under  its  aspect  during 
the  day. 

Still  more  productive  of  a  bold  spirit  and  vigorous 
frame   was   the   sport    of    fox   hunting,    which   was 


MILITARY  INFLUENCES  25 

popular  in  all  parts  of  the  South  with  every  class 
in  the  community.  The  wild  gallop  with  horns 
and  hounds  over  the  rough  face  of  the  country, 
with  its  hills  and  valleys,  bare  fields,  and  thick 
woods;  the  continuation  of  the  pursuit  from  the 
gray  of  the  morning  until  a  late  hour  in  the  night, 
and  its  frequent  resumption  at  dawn  for  a  second 
day's  run;  the  indifference  to  the  character  of  the 
weather  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  sport — all  this  was 
excellent  practice  for  fitting  the  young  men  for  the 
requirements  of  service  in  the  cavalry. 

The  universal  love  of  the  horse  in  the  South,  and 
its  constant  use  for  recreation  or  display,  was  also 
promotive  of  the  military  spirit.  As  from  childhood 
almost  every  boy  knew  how  to  shoot  a  gun,  so  from 
the  time  he  had  the  length  of  leg  to  bestride  a 
saddle,  he  was  able  to  ride.  While  still  a  little 
fellow,  he  would  perch  up  behind  the  negro  stable- 
man when  the  horses  were  taken  to  water  in  the 
morning  or  at  night;  and  he  soon  acquired  sufficient 
confidence  to  ride  his  own  pony,  the  first  step  to 
mounting  a  larger  animal. 

Before  the  Civil  War,  most  of  the  Southern  boys 
obtained  the  rudiments  of  their  education  in  what 
was  known  as  the  old  field  school  because  situated 
in  some  retired  spot  equally  distant  from  the  differ- 
ent homes  in  the  neighborhood.  Very  often,  the 
only  way  of  reaching  this  school  was  by  a  narrow 


26  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

bridle  path  through  the  woods.  Hither  came  the 
boys  on  horseback  five  mornings  of  the  week  in  all 
sorts  of  weather,  at  every  season  of  the  year;  nor 
were  they  always  content  to  let  their  steeds  walk  or 
jog  quietly  along — many  a  race  was  run  under  the 
bower  of  forest  leaves,  in  which  skill  was  necessary 
to  avoid  the  trunks  of  trees  that  sprang  up  along 
either  side  of  the  way. 

There  were  numerous  other  opportunities  of  be- 
coming proficient  in  the  art  of  riding;  every  Satur- 
day was  a  holiday,  and  from  morning  until  darkness 
came  on,  the  boys  were  using  their  horses  either  in 
hunting  in  the  fields  and  forests  or  in  travelling  to 
some  distant  mill-pond  famous  far  and  wide  for  perch 
and  mullet.  Every  one  of  them  looked  upon  him- 
self as  fully  able  to  break  in  a  young  colt  however 
raw  and  fractious  it  may  have  come  from  the  pas- 
ture; and  many  a  young  fellow  was  seriously  in- 
jured by  his  reckless  indifference  to  the  dangers  of 
mounting  such  a  wild  beast  before  its  spirit  had  been 
even  partially  broken. 

This  knowledge  of  horseflesh,  this  love  of  eques- 
trian exercise,  was  never  lost  by  the  Southerner, 
however  old  he  might  grow.  Though  he  might  be 
poor  in  a  property  sense,  it  was  not  often  that  he 
did  not  own  at  least  one  horse,  which  served  both 
as  his  helper  in  working  the  tobacco  lots  and  cotton 
fields,  and  as  his  carrier  in  visiting  neighbors,  at- 


MILITARY  INFLUENCES  27 

tending  church,  or  moving  about  the  countryside  on 
business.  He  rode  to  the  distant  county  seat  to  be 
present  at  the  sessions  of  court;  and  it  was  on  horse- 
back too  that  he  travelled  to  political  barbecues 
and  religious  camp  meetings.  There  was  no  public 
occasion  in  his  life,  indeed,  which  did  not  permit  of 
this  means  of  locomotion;  in  fact,  at  certain  seasons 
of  the  year,  the  roads  were  hardly  passable  with 
ease  except  by  persons  on  horseback;  and  this  cus- 
tom led  many  women  to  acquire  the  like  skill  so 
that  they  might  not  be  impeded  in  getting  about 
their  neighborhoods. 

The  planters  took  great  pride  in  the  pure  blood 
of  their  horses;  skilled  attention  was  everywhere 
given  to  horse  breeding;  and  universal  interest  was 
felt  in  racing.  Many  large  estates  possessed  a 
private  course  laid  off  with  more  or  less  exactness; 
there  was  a  public  track  in  nearly  every  county, 
where  trials  of  speed  came  off  each  year,  with 
crowds  of  people  in  attendance;  while  one  of  the 
principal  features  of  every  agricultural  fair  was  the 
succession  of  heats  run  by  horses  that  enjoyed  a 
reputation  for  fleet  ness  throughout  that  part  of  the 
South. 

With  all  this  knowledge  of  horseflesh  and  skill  in 
horsemanship,  was  it  strange  that  the  Southern 
States  should  have  produced  so  many  brilliant  cav- 
alry leaders  during  the  Civil  War?    The  fact  had 


28  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

been  noted  from  the  first  years  of  the  West  Point 
Military  Academy  that  the  cadets  appointed  from 
the  districts  between  the  Potomac  and  the  Rio 
Grande  were  especially  proficient  in  horsemanship 
as  a  part  of  their  course  of  study;  and  they  were 
thus  accomplished  because  they  had  been  brought 
up  to  love  horses  and  had  become  expert  long  before 
they  were  leaping  the  hurdles  in  the  riding  school  on 
the  Hudson.  The  cavalry  was  the  favorite  arm  of 
the  Confederate  service;  the  arm  which  all  would 
have  preferred  to  join;  the  one  arm  for  which  even 
the  soldiers  in  the  infantry  had  been  trained  in  the 
first  great  essential  by  constant  previous  exercise  at 
their  own  homes.  Wheeler,  Fitzhugh  Lee,  Hampton, 
Forrest,  and  Stuart  were  the  most  famous  officers  of 
the  cavalry  corps,  but  behind  those  gallant  cavaliers, 
there  rode  thousands  of  men,  not  only  fully  as  gal- 
lant as  they  were,  but  also  from  their  earliest  boy- 
hood just  as  deeply  versed  in  horsemanship.  Again 
and  again,  in  the  midst  of  flying  bullets,  while  the 
musketry  was  crackling  and  the  cannon  reverberat- 
ing to  the  sky,  the  song  rang  out  gaily  from  many 
a  brave  lip: 

"If  you  wish  to  have  a  good  time, 
Come  jine  the  cavalry,  come  jine  the  cavalry." 

That   song   was   the   favorite   air   of    Stuart,  who 
summed  up  in  his  dashing  and  chivalrous  personal- 


MILITARY  INFLUENCES  29 

ity,  not  only  the  finest  qualities  of  the  fearless  and 
stainless  soldier,  but  also  the  boldest  characteristics 
of  a  horseman  who  has  passed  almost  his  entire 
life  in  the  saddle. 


CHAPTER  II 
Belle  Boyd,  the  Spy 


CHAPTER  II 

BELLE  BOYD,  THE  SPY 

DURING  the  early  months  of  the  war,  the  lower 
valley  of  the  Shenandoah  was  the  scene  of  unusual 
activity  on  the  part  of  Southern  spies,  whose  zeal- 
ousness  was  very  much  encouraged  by  the  conditions 
which  prevailed  there  throughout  that  period.  First, 
the  people  living  in  this  corner  of  Virginia  were 
almost  fanatically  loyal  to  the  Confederate  Govern- 
ment, and  they  were  so,  not  only  because  the  most 
influential  citizens  were  descended  from  the  oldest 
families  in  the  State,  but,  above  all,  because  persons 
of  every  class  had  been  violently  alarmed  and  em- 
bittered by  the  John  Brown  Raid,  which,  had  it 
succeeded,  would  have  plunged  them  into  all  the 
horrors  of  a  slave  insurrection. 

In  the  second  place,  the  entire  region  was  con- 
stantly passing  from  the  hands  of  the  Confederates 
under  the  control  of  the  Federals  or  the  reverse. 
Now  the  Northern  army  would  advance  from  Har- 
per's Ferry  as  far  as  Winchester  and  Front  Royal; 
then  the  Southern  would  suddenly  face  about  and 
drive  them  back,  and  in  their  turn  take  possession 
of  these  towns;  which,  in  a  short  time,  would  be 
abandoned,   only  to  be  reoccupied  by  the  Federal 


34  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

troops.  One  week,  a  family  would  find  their  home 
subject  to  the  daily  inspection  of  the  Federal  pro- 
vost-marshal; the  next  they  would  be  receiving 
friendly  visits  from  distinguished  Confederate  officers. 

In  the  light  of  the  local  devotion  to  the  Confed- 
erate cause,  and  also  of  these  opportunities  to  col- 
lect and  report  information  of  high  value  from  a 
military  point  of  view,  it  was  natural  that  there 
should  be  spies  in  every  neighborhood,  who  would  be 
furtively  engaged  in  transmitting  such  information 
to  General  Jackson,  who  was  opposing  the  Federal 
armies  in  that  part  of  Virginia. 

The  most  famous  of  all  these  spies  was  Belle 
Boyd,  the  daughter  of  a  Confererate  officer,  who 
was  the  head  of  a  wealthy  and  widely  connected 
family  residing  at  Martinsburg,  a  town  situated  not 
far  from  Harper's  Ferry.  She  was  just  seventeen 
years  of  age  when  the  war  broke  out  and  had  only 
recently  left  the  schoolroom.  Beautiful,  intelligent, 
and  high-spirited,  and  passionately  loyal  to  the 
Confederate  cause,  she  was  as  cool  in  courage  and 
as  firm  in  purpose  as  the  bravest  soldier  on  the 
battlefield. 

When  General  Shields  occupied  Front  Royal,  he 
took  possession  of  the  home  of  Belle  Boyd's  grand- 
mother, who  resided  there,  and  made  it  his  head- 
quarters. There  was  a  small  cottage  within  the 
enclosure,  and  to  this  the  members  of  the  family, 


BELLE  BOYD,  THE  SPY  35 

among  them  Belle  Boyd  herself,  withdrew.  Having 
become  an  object  of  suspicion  to  the  Federal  author- 
ities in  Martinsburg  by  their  seizure  of  a  letter 
which  she  was  about  to  send  to  General  Jackson,  she 
found  herself  so  closely  watched  there  that  she  de- 
cided to  visit  her  relations  in  Front  Royal.  She 
soon  got  on  an  easy  and  friendly  footing  with  the 
Federal  commander,  a  genial  Irishman,  and  took 
advantage  of  her  constant  association  with  him  and 
his  officers,  to  pick  up  information  of  importance. 
Committing  it  to  paper  from  day  to  day,  she  dis- 
patched note  after  note  to  the  Confederate  leaders 
by  means  of  a  messenger  on  whose  fidelity  she  knew 
she  could  rely.  She  did  not  always  use  a  cypher, 
and  made  no  effort  to  conceal  her  handwriting. 
After  some  time  so  taken  up,  she  concluded  that  she 
could  further  aid  the  Confederate  cause  by  going  in 
person  to  Richmond. 

"General,"  she  said  to  General  Shields  as  soon  as 
she  saw  him  again,  "I  want  you  to  give  me  a  pass- 
port to  Richmond." 

General  Shields  laughed  at  her  for  making  such 
a  request,  and  indulged  in  a  good  deal  of  badinage 
at  her  expense. 

"Old  Jackson's  army,"  he  said,  "is  so  demoralized 
that  I  dare  not  trust  you  to  their  tender  mercies. 
I  will  annihilate  those  rebels  in  a  few  days,  and  then 
you  can  go  where  you  choose." 


36  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

General  Shields  had  now  determined  to  advance 
and  attack  the  Confederate  army  encamped  at  a 
point  further  south.  The  night  before  he  set  his 
troops  in  motion,  he  held  a  council  of  war  at  his 
headquarters  in  the  Boyd  residence.  Belle  Boyd, 
who  had  been  daily  passing  backward  and  forwards 
between  the  mansion  and  the  cottage  without  being 
questioned,  had  frequently  visited  a  bedroom,  well 
known  to  her,  situated  just  above  the  apartment 
where  the  council  was  to  meet,  which  happened  to 
be  the  drawing  room  of  the  house.  In  rummaging 
about  the  closet,  she  had  noticed  a  hole  in  the  floor, 
through  which  the  sound  of  voices  in  the  room 
underneath  could  be  easily  heard.  Indeed,  it  was  so 
large,  that,  placing  her  eye  over  it,  she  could  with- 
out difficulty  make  out  any  person  who  might  be 
seated  below. 

The  night  the  council  came  together,  she  was  talk- 
ing with  some  of  the  officers  in  the  drawing  room, 
and  finding  that  a  council  was  about  to  be  held, 
she  retired,  but  instead  of  leaving  the  house  and 
going  over  to  the  cottage,  she  quietly  ascended  the 
stairs  to  the  bedroom,  and  entering  the  closet,  and 
lying  down  flat  on  the  floor,  she  placed  her  ear  at 
the  hole  and  distinctly  caught  every  word  uttered 
by  the  men  assembled  around  the  table  below.  The 
discussion  did  not  come  to  an  end  until  one  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  but  during  the  long  hours  it  was 
carried  on,  she  did  not  change  her  position. 


BELLE  BOYD,  THE  SPY  37 

The  council  broke  up  and  the  officers  withdrew 
from  the  house  to  their  own  quarters.  When  silence 
had  again  fallen,  Belle  Boyd  stole  from  the  closet, 
descended  the  stairs  on  tiptoe,  unbolted  the  door 
without  noise,  and  passed  with  quiet  steps  across 
the  threshold  to  the  yard  without.  On  reaching  her 
own  room  in  the  cottage,  she  took  down  in  cypher 
the  information  about  the  Federal  plans  which  she 
had  just  obtained.  Without  resting  a  moment  or 
securing  a  morsel  of  food,  she  ran  to  the  stable,  and 
leading  out  and  saddling  one  of  the  horses,  mounted 
and  rode  off  at  a  gallop  towards  the  nearest  moun- 
tains. 

Fortunately  for  her,  she  had  not  forgotten  to 
bring  with  her  several  passports  which  she  had  asked 
of  General  Shields  to  enable  some  of  her  Confeder- 
ate friends  to  get  through  the  lines.  She  had  not 
gone  far  when  she  was  challenged  by  a  Federal 
sentinel,  and  was  only  permitted  to  continue  her 
journey  after  her  passport  had  been  shown  and  ex- 
amined. This  happened  to  her  several  times,  until, 
having  left  all  the  pickets  behind,  she  was  at  liberty 
to  ride  on  without  further  interruption. 

In  order  to  be  more  secure,  she  deserted  the  road 
and  entered  the  fields,  through  which  she  moved 
rapidly  in  spite  of  the  darkness.  She  had  covered 
fifteen  miles  of  ground  when  she  found  herself  in 
front  of  the  house  of  a  friend  whom  she  had  often 


88  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

visited.  Not  a  single  light  was  to  be  seen  in  any  of 
the  windows  owing  to  the  lateness  of  the  hour. 
Leaping  from  her  saddle,  and  not  stopping  even  to 
tie  her  horse,  she  ran  up  the  steps,  and  with  the  butt 
of  her  whip  pounded  violently  on  the  door.  No 
response  was  made  to  the  blows  at  first. 

"Is  it  possible,"  she  thought  to  herself,  "that 
there  is  nobody  at  home!" 

She  knocked  more  vigorously.  She  called.  Then 
a  voice  was  heard  from  the  depths  within: 

"Who  is  there?" 

"It  is  I." 

"But  who  are  you?    What  is  your  name?" 

"Belle  Boyd.  I  have  important  intelligence  to 
communicate  to  Colonel  Ashby.     Is  he  here?" 

"Wait  a  minute,  I  will  come  down." 

When  the  person  who  had  been  speaking  opened 
the  door,  his  first  question  was: 

"How  on  earth  did  you  get  here?" 

"Oh,  I  forced  the  sentries.  But  I  have  no  time 
to  talk.  Tell  me  where  Colonel  Ashby  is  to  be 
found?" 

Hardly  had  she  spoken  when  a  door  suddenly 
opened  and  Colonel  Ashby  himself  stood  before  her. 

"Good  God,  Miss  Belle,"  he  exclaimed,  when  he 
recognized  her,  "where  did  you  come  from?  Have 
you  dropped  from  the  clouds?    Or  am  I  dreaming?" 

"You  are  awake  and   I   am   not  an   angel  from 


BELLE  BOYD,  THE  SPY  39 

heaven,"  she  replied  laughingly;  and  then  quickly- 
becoming  serious  again,  she  repeated  to  him  all  that 
she  had  overheard  of  the  decisions  arrived  at  by 
the  council.  She  handed  him  the  memorandum  in 
cypher,  which  she  knew  he  was  able  to  translate, 
and  mounting  her  jaded  horse,  bade  the  dashing 
Confederate  officer,  who  had  not  yet  fully  recovered 
from  his  astonishment,  a  gay  farewell  and  started 
on  her  return  through  the  fields  by  which  she  had 
come.  After  a  ride  of  two  hours,  she  reached  the 
neighborhood  of  the  town,  where  there  was  danger 
of  her  being  stopped  and  arrested  by  the  sentinels; 
but  she  ran  only  upon  one,  and  he  was  so  fast 
asleep  that  she  succeeded  in  galloping  by  him  before 
he  could  shake  off  his  slumber  and  raise  his  gun  to 
shoot.  Having  unsaddled  and  fed  her  faithful  horse, 
she  turned  into  bed  just  as  dawn  began  to  break. 
That  day,  General  Shields,  at  the  head  of  his  troops, 
left  Front  Royal  in  search  of  Jackson,  with  the  un- 
successful result  that  is  recorded  in  history. 

After  the  departure  of  the  Federal  army,  Belle 
Boyd  applied  for  a  passport  that  would  permit  her 
and  a  cousin  to  visit  Winchester.  The  passport  was 
promised  by  the  provost-marshal,  but  when  the 
carriage  rolled  up  to  the  door  next  morning,  the 
document  had  not  been  sent  by  him;  and  it  was 
reported  that  he  had  left  town  on  a  scouting  expe- 
dition. A  Federal  lieutenant  whom  they  knew  came 
to  where  the  ladies  were  impatiently  waiting. 


40  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

"You  profess  to  be  a  great  friend  of  mine,"  said 
Belle  Boyd  to  him,  "now  prove  it.  Pass  us  through 
the  pickets." 

The  young  officer  hesitated  a  moment;  then 
bidding  them  enter  the  carriage,  promised  that  he 
would  accompany  them  the  entire  way  to  assure 
their  safety.  Arriving  in  Winchester,  the  whole 
party  decided  to  remain  there  over  night.  Some 
hours  before  they  were  to  leave  next  morning,  a 
gentleman  came  to  the  house  where  the  ladies  were 
stopping.  Handing  two  packages  of  letters  to  Belle 
Boyd,  he  said  to  her: 

"Will  you  see  that  these  packages  are  got  through 
the  lines  to  the  Confederate  army  in  the  Valley? 
This  package  (pointing  to  one  of  the  two)  is  of 
great  importance.  The  other  is  trifling  in  compar- 
ison." 

Taking  from  his  pocket  a  small  note, 

"This,"  he  said,  "is  an  important  paper  also. 
Please  endeavor  to  have  it  forwarded  to  General 
Jackson.    Do  you  understand?" 

"I  do,"  she  replied,  "I  will  obey  your  order 
promptly  and  implicitly." 

The  most  important  package  she  concealed  about 
the  person  of  her  negro  maid,  as  she  was  confident 
that  a  black  woman  would  not  be  searched.  The 
other  one  she  dropped  into  a  small  basket  which  she 
was  taking  with  her.     On  it  she  had  written:    "By 


BELLE  BOYD,  THE  SPY  41 

the  kindness  of  Lieutenant  H."  She  hid  the  note 
in  her  own  bosom. 

She  decided  that,  before  she  should  set  out,  it 
would  be  more  prudent  to  obtain  a  passport  from 
the  officer  in  command  of  Winchester,  Colonel  Fille- 
browne,  which  would  enable  her  to  return  safely  to 
Front  Royal  whether  Lieutenant  H.  should  accom- 
pany her  or  not.  How  was  she  to  secure  it?  Was 
she  not  the  notorious  rebel  spy,  Belle  Boyd?  She 
went  to  a  florist  who  had  a  shop  nearby,  and  pur- 
chasing a  very  handsome  bouquet,  sent  it,  "with 
her  best  wishes,"  to  the  Federal  commander;  and 
she  accompanied  it  with  the  request  that  he  would 
allow  her,  by  his  express  order,  to  return  to  her 
relatives  in  Front  Royal.  The  passport  was 
promptly  dispatched  to  her,  with  a  polite  letter,  in 
which  "the  dear  lady"  was  thanked  for  "so  sweet 
a  compliment."  Lieutenant  H.  having  now  joined 
the  cousins  and  their  maid,  all  started  together  on 
the  return  journey.  On  arriving  at  the  picket  line, 
two  determined  looking  men  stopped  the  carriage. 
They  were  really  detectives. 

"We  have  been  instructed,"  said  one  of  them 
looking  through  the  window  at  Belle  Boyd,  "to 
arrest  you." 

"For  what?"  she  boldly  inquired. 

"You  are  charged  with  carrying  letters  of  im- 
portance to  the  enemy,"  was  the  reply. 


42  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

The  coachman  was  ordered  to  turn  the  carriage 
around  and  drive  back  to  Winchester.  The  two 
detectives  rode  on  either  side  of  the  vehicle  all  the 
way.  When  the  party  entered  the  office  at  head- 
quarters, the  cousin  and  the  maid  almost  sank  to 
the  floor  with  fright,  but  Belle  Boyd  showed  no 
discomposure  whatever. 

"Have  you  any  letters  about  you,"  was  the  first 
question  put  to  her  by  the  provost-marshal  in  his 
sternest  voice.  Feeling  sure  that  she  would  be 
searched  should  she  answer  in  the  negative,  she 
simply  stooped  down  and  took  from  her  basket  the 
package  on  which  she  had  written  the  words:  "By 
the  kindness  of  Lieutenant  H.,"  and  handed  it  to 
the  officer  with  a  low  bow,  but  without  uttering  a 
word. 

"'By  the  kindness  of  Lieutenant  H!'"  he  ex- 
claimed in  angry  tones  when  he  had  read  the  super- 
scription, "what  does  this  mean?  Have  you  any 
other  packages  or  letters?" 

"Look  for  yourself,"  replied  Belle  Boyd  coolly, 
and  she  turned  the  basket  upside  down  so  that  its 
contents  fell  in  confusion  to  the  floor.  Lieutenant 
H's  face  suddenly  blanched,  for  he  remembered  that 
he  had  a  second  package,  which  Belle  Boyd  had 
taken  from  the  maid  and  given  to  him  while  the 
carriage  was  on  its  way  back  to  Winchester.  He 
drew  it  from  his  pocket  and  placed  it  on  the  table; 


BELLE  BOYD,  THE  SPY  43 

to  his  consternation,  this  package  also  was  inscribed 
with  the  Words  "By  the  kindness  of  Lieutenant  H." 
When  opened,  it  was  found  to  contain  copies  of  a 
newspaper  which  would  have  conveyed  to  the  Con- 
federates information  of  great  value.  In  vain  both 
Belle  Boyd  and  the  Lieutenant  asserted  that  he  knew 
nothing  of  the  character  of  its  contents  when  the 
package  was  delivered  to  him;  the  provost-marshal 
looked  at  her  sternly  and  took  no  notice  of  the  dis- 
claimers of  herself  and  her  companion. 

"What  note  is  that  you  have  in  your  hand?"  he 
demanded. 

"This  little  scrap  of  paper?"  said  Belle  Boyd  in- 
nocently. "You  can  have  it  if  you  want  it.  It  is 
nothing.  Here  it  is."  She  appeared  to  be  about  to 
hand  it  to  him,  but  in  reality  she  had  made  up  her 
mind  to  swallow  it.  Just  as  she  was  about  to  raise 
it  to  her  mouth  to  do  so,  the  provost-marshal's 
attention  was  diverted  to  his  subordinate,  and  he 
forgot,  in  his  renewed  indignation  over  that  officer's 
supposed  treasonable  conduct,  the  existence  of  the 
important  letter  to  Jackson,  which  was  almost 
within  his  grasp.  The  curious  manner  in  which 
Lieutenant  H.  was  involved  in  the  transmission  of 
the  packages  alone  saved  Belle  Boyd  from  the  punish- 
ment that  would  have  certainly  followed  from  her 
possessing  such  compromising  documents 

A  few  days  afterwards,  she  was  sitting  in  her  room 


44  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

at  Front  Royal  quietly  reading  to  her  cousin  and 
grandmother,  when  her  negro  maid  rushed  in. 

"Oh,  Miss  Belle,"  she  exclaimed,  "I  tink  de  rebels 
are  a  comin'  for  de  Yankees  am  makin'  an  awful 
fuss  in  de  streets." 

Belle  Boyd  sprang  to  the  window.  The  servant 
was  right — the  street  was  in  a  state  of  great  con- 
fusion; men  were  shouting  and  vehicles  were  jammed 
together.  There  was  plainly  some  extraordinary 
cause  for  alarm. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  she  called  to  a  Federal 
officer  whom  she  knew  as  she  saw  him  passing. 

"The  Confederates  under  General  Jackson  are 
approaching,"  he  replied.  "They  are  driving  back 
the  pickets  and  are  now  within  a  mile  of  the  town. 
We  are  trying  to  get  the  ordnance  and  quarter- 
master's stores  out  of  their  reach." 

"But  what  will  you  do  with  the  stores  in  the 
large  depot?"  asked  Belle  Boyd. 

"Burn  them,  of  course,"  replied  the  officer.  "If 
the  rebels  come  up  too  quickly  for  us  to  do  so,  we 
will  fight  as  long  as  we  can,  and  if  defeated,  retreat 
to  Winchester,  where  we  will  join  General  Banks. 
We  will  burn  all  the  bridges  behind  us." 

It  happened  that,  at  this  moment,  Belle  Boyd  was 
in  the  possession  of  the  following  military  facts 
known  only  to  the  Federals:  General  Banks  was 
stationed    at    Strasburg    with    four    thousand    men; 


BELLE  BOYD,  THE  SPY  45 

General  White  could  quickly  march  up  to  Winchester 
from  Harper's  Ferry  and  reinforce  the  Federal  troops 
in  that  town;  Shields  and  Geary  were  posted  not 
far  below  Front  Royal;  while  Fremont  had  not  yet 
arrived  in  the  Valley.  How  was  she  to  send  this 
information  to  General  Jackson?  The  note  received 
at  Winchester  had  also  to  be  forwarded  to  him.  If 
he  failed  to  get  both,  he  might  fall  into  the  trap 
which  the  combined  Federal  commanders  had  set  for 
his  destruction.  All  were  to  converge  to  catch  his 
army  in  their  coils. 

She  went  to  the  drawer  and  took  out  a  pair  of 
opera  glasses  which  she  kept  there,  and  through 
these  she  could  plainly  descry  the  Confederate 
vanguard  approaching  at  a  distance  of  three-quarters 
of  a  mile.  There  was  no  time  for  her  to  lose  if  she 
was  to  communicate  with  Jackson.  Descending  to 
the  lower  floor  in  great  haste  and  opening  the  front 
door  of  the  house,  she  saw  standing  on  the  pave- 
ment a  small  group  of  men  who  had  often  spoken  in 
her  presence  of  their  devotion  to  the  cause  of  the 
South.  Beckoning  them  to  her  side,  she  said  in  a 
low  voice: 

"Will  any  one  of  you  carry  to  General  Jackson 
information   I  have  collected  which  may  save  his 
army?" 

They  positively  refused  to  undertake  so  danger- 
ous a  mission. 


46 CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

"You  go,  you  go,"  they  cried  out  as  if  with  one 
voice. 

Perceiving  that  she  would  gain  nothing  by  impor- 
tuning them,  she  turned  and  went  back  into  the 
house  determined  to  carry  the  message  herself,  in 
spite  of  the  perils  which  she  knew  she  would  have 
to  face.  Having  put  on  a  white  sunbonnet,  she 
went  into  the  street,  and  as  she  passed  down  it  on 
her  way  to  the  road  leading  in  the  direction  from 
which  Jackson  was  approaching,  she  had  to  meet  the 
questioning  gaze  of  hundreds  of  Federal  soldiers;  but 
as  the  town  was  still  in  a  state  of  great  disorder, 
no  one  stopped  her  to  inquire  about  the  purpose  of 
her  movements,  although  she  was  as  much  as  ever 
under  the  ban  of  suspicion.  Leaving  Front  Royal 
behind,  she  decided  to  turn  from  the  road  into  the 
open  fields  in  the  hope  that  she  would  be  able  to 
conceal  herself  there  until  the  Confederate  troops 
should  come  up  and  protect  her.  There  was,  how- 
ever, not  enough  cover  to  hide  her  from  the  eye, 
especially  as  she  was  wearing  a  white  apron  over  a 
dark  blue  dress;  and  her  bonnet  also  was  of  the  same 
conspicuous  color.  She  could,  in  reality,  be  easily 
seen  at  a  very  considerable  distance. 

All  this  time  she  could  hear  the  loud  firing  that 
was  going  on  between  the  two  hostile  forces.  The 
Federal  artillery  had  taken  position  on  a  height  that 
commanded    the    whole    length    of    the    road    along 


BELLE  BOYD,  THE  SPY  47 

which  the  Confederate  army  was  advancing  to  the 
attack,  while  a  large  body  of  Federal  infantry  had 
made  a  fortress  of  the  hospital,  and  were  pouring  a 
heavy  fusillade  of  musketry  from  its  windows.  This 
was  responded  to  hotly  from  the  Confederate  side, 
and  the  din  was  rapidly  increasing  in  intensity.  The 
Federal  pickets,  out-numbered,  began  to  fall  back, 
and  as  they  did  so,  they  saw  Belle  Boyd  running 
across  the  fields  and  they  opened  fire  on  her.  Balls 
soon  were  hitting  the  ground  about  her  feet  and 
passing  alarmingly  close  to  her  head.  The  Federal 
soldiers  in  the  hospital  followed  the  example  of  the 
pickets,  and  in  a  few  minutes  Belle  Boyd's  clothes 
were  pierced  by  bullets  in  several  places,  but  fortun- 
ately for  herself,  she  was  not  struck  in  the  body. 

To  increase  the  perils  of  her  situation,  many  of 
the  shells  in  the  cross  fire  between  the  Federal  and 
the  Confederate  batteries,  burst  over  her  and  scat- 
tered their  fragments  in  every  direction.  Suddenly 
a  Federal  shell  came  to  the  ground  within  twenty 
feet  of  where  in  her  bewilderment  she  had  momen- 
tarily stopped,  but  she  had  the  presence  of  mind  to 
throw  herself  flat  on  the  earth  before  it  exploded; 
and  when  it  did  so,  she  was  covered  with  the  flying 
dirt  which  it  raised.  Leaping  to  her  feet  immedi- 
ately after  the  concussion  she  ran  forward  at  the 
top  of  her  speed,  while  the  musket  balls  still  hurtled 
about  her  and  the  shells  continued  to  scream  in  the 


48  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

air  overhead.  She  felt  that,  not  only  was  she  in 
imminent  danger  of  being  killed,  but  also  her  death 
might  mean  the  complete  entrapment  of  the  Con- 
federate army.  Through  the  open  fields  she  almost 
flew,  and  when  she  came  to  a  fence  that  stood  in 
her  way  she  threw  herself  over  it  with  the  agility 
of  an  athlete. 

Not  long  after  leaving  the  fence  behind,  she  caught 
sight  of  the  gray  Confederate  ranks,  and  she  began 
at  once  waving  her  bonnet  alternately  towards  them 
and  towards  the  town.  In  response,  the  troops 
raised  a  loud  cheer,  and  with  a  quickened  step  con- 
tinued their  advance,  and  as  they  went  by  her,  a 
second  cheer,  louder  than  the  first,  broke  from  their 
throats. 

"Were  these  all  the  forces  which  General  Jackson 
could  bring  to  the  attack?"  she  asked  herself  in  con- 
sternation, as  she  saw  the  men  move  past  the  spot 
on  which  she  was  standing.  It  was  impossible  for 
so  few  to  outmatch  the  Federal  armies  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Front  Royal.  Had  she  made  the  night 
ride  to  Colonel  Ashby's,  and  was  she  now  exposing 
herself  to  such  peril,  simply  to  lure  these  gallant 
men  to  their  certain  destruction  by  a  superior  foe? 

She  was  so  overcome  that,  sinking  to  her  knees, 
she  uttered  a  fervent  prayer  for  their  deliverance. 
Rising  from  the  ground,  she  saw  to  her  great  relief 
the   main   body   of   the    Confederate   forces   emerge 


BELLE  BOYD,  THE  SPY  49 

from  behind  a  hill,  which  had,  up  to  that  time, 
hidden  them  from  her  sight.  As  the  van  approached, 
she  was  recognized  by  an  officer  who  was  a  friend 
and  connection  of  her  family,  Major  Douglas  of  the 
Maryland  line. 

"Good  God,  Belle,"  he  exclaimed  as  he  rode  up, 
"You  here!  What  in  the  name  of  Heaven  do  you 
want?" 

"Oh,  Harry,"  she  gasped,  "give  me  time  to  get 
my  breath!" 

Having  recovered  her  breath,  she  imparted  as 
quickly  as  possible  all  the  information  which  she  had 
been  able  to  gather  about  the  positions  of  the  Fed- 
eral troops;  and  also  handed  to  him  the  note  which 
she  had  received  in  Winchester.  She  urged  that  the 
cavalry  should  be  sent  forward  at  once  to  seize  all 
the  bridges  over  the  Shenandoah  below  the  town 
before  they  could  be  destroyed,  as  she  had  been 
told  they  would  be,  by  the  withdrawing  Federals. 
Major  Douglas  returned  to  General  Jackson  at  a 
gallop  to  report  what  he  had  heard,  and  in  a  short 
time,  Jackson,  accompanied  by  Douglas,  rode  up, 
and  having  questioned  her  closely,  offered  her  a 
horse  and  military  escort  to  insure  her  getting  back 
safely  to  town. 

The  cavalry  reached  the  first  bridge  barely  in 
time, — the  Federal  rear  guard  had  just  crossed  over 
and   had   already   lighted   the   match   which  was  to 


50  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

explode  the  heavy  charges  that  had  been  placed 
under  the  stone  arches.  The  other  bridges  were  also 
saved  by  equal  promptness.  When  Belle  Boyd 
arrived  at  her  home,  the  main  Confederate  army 
was  filing  through  the  streets,  and  as  they  caught 
sight  of  her  on  her  doorstep,  they  raised  a  cheer  in 
her  honor.  Although  they  were  greatly  exhausted, 
they  pressed  on  in  the  track  of  the  retreating  Fed- 
erals towards  Winchester;  Banks  was  compelled  to 
withdraw  to  the  other  side  of  the  Potomac;  and  the 
whole  plan  of  the  Federal  campaign  was  thrown  into 
confusion. 

Two  incidents  are  recorded  which  show  how  clearly 
the  officers  on  either  side  recognized  the  importance 
of  the  information  which  Belle  Boyd  had  either 
given  herself  or  conveyed  for  others  for  the  guidance 
of  the  Confederate  leaders. 

When  the  Confederate  army,  following  up  Gen- 
eral Banks,  approached  Winchester,  Colonel  Fille- 
browne,  who,  as  we  have  seen,  was  in  command 
there,  began  very  hastily  to  gather  together  all  his 
effects,  and  whilst  he  was  doing  this,  a  Southern 
friend  of  Belle  Boyd  entered  the  room. 

"Colonel,"  he  exclaimed,  "how  on  earth  did  you 
get  into  this  trap?  Did  you  not  know  that  Jackson 
was  advancing?" 

Colonel  Fillebrowne  pointed  to  the  bouquet  on  the 
table  which  Belle  Boyd  had  sent  him  only  a  few 
days  before. 


BELLE  BOYD,  THE  SPY  51 

"That  bouquet,"  said  he  sadly,  "did  all  the  mis- 
chief. The  donor  of  that  gift  is  responsible  for  all 
this  misfortune." 

The  other  incident  which  represents  the  reverse 
side  of  the  shield,  was  the  reception  by  her  of  the 
following  note: 

May  22,  1862. 
Miss  Belle  Boyd, 

I  thank  you  for  myself  and  for  the  army  for  the 
immense  service  that  you  have  rendered  your  coun- 
try today. 

Hastily,  I  am  your  Friend, 

T.  J.  Jackson,  C.  S.  A. 


CHAPTER  III 
Up  in  a  Balloon 


CHAPTER  III 
UP  IN  A  BALLOON 

In  the  spring  of  1862,  General  Magruder,  who 
commanded  that  part  of  the  Confederate  forces 
known  as  the  Army  of  the  Peninsula,  expecting  a 
Federal  assault  from  Old  Point,  threw  up  a  formid- 
able line  of  breastworks  all  the  way  from  Yorktown 
to  the  margin  of  James  river.  The  course  selected 
for  this  line  gave  the  entrenchments  additional 
strength,  for  it  followed  the  trend  of  certain  out- 
tanding  physical  features  of  that  region,  such  as 
streams,  swamps,  and  millponds,  by  which  its  sur- 
face was  very  much  varied. 

General  McClellan,  advancing  his  troops  by  land 
from  the  toe  of  the  Peninsula, — their  flanks  being 
protected  by  gunboats  moving  up  the  waters  of  the 
York  and  the  James, — was  suddenly  brought  squarely 
up  against  this  strong  artificial  barrier,  with  its 
natural  buttresses,  and  was  compelled  to  come  to 
an  abrupt  halt. 

This  barrier  was  made  still  more  impregnable  by 
the  arrival  of  General  Johnston,  with  fresh  forces  to 
further  man  their  whole  length.  Johnston,  as  the 
officer  of  highest  rank  on  the  ground,  took  the 
supreme  control  of  the  entire  body  of   Confederate 


56  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

troops  present.  He  pitched  his  headquarters  some 
distance  back  from  the  banks  of  York  river  on  a 
site  that  lay  on  very  low  ground,  like  the  rest  of 
the  coastal  region  to  which  that  part  of  the  Penin- 
sula belonged.  Had  there  been  a  hill  near  at  hand 
he  could  easily  have  observed,  through  a  field 
glass,  the  dispositions  of  the  soldiers  in  the  enemy's 
encampments  and  the  movements  of  the  gunboats 
reconnoitering  in  the  broad  waters  of  the  two 
neighboring  rivers. 

But  there  was  no  such  height.  The  entire  coun- 
try, spread  out  on  a  dead  level  just  a  few  feet 
above  the  reach  of  the  waves  at  high  tide,  was 
simply  a  great  plain  formed  at  first  of  the  sediment 
of  the  ocean  bed.  It  was  now  overgrown  with 
forests,  chiefly  of  oak  and  pine,  broken  here  and 
there  by  clearings  under  tillage  for  wheat  or  corn, 
or  by  pastures  for  cattle.  The  top  of  a  tree  afforded 
only  a  limited  scope  for  the  gaze  of  one  peering  out 
over  the  face  of  the  landscape,  since  other  trees, 
near  or  distant,  obstructed  the  freedom  of  expanse. 
Indeed,  the  encampments  of  the  Federals  beyond 
the  line  of  breastworks  were  really  encircled  by 
woods,  and  unless  the  eye  of  the  Confederate  ob- 
server could  look  directly  down  on  them,  it  would 
have  been  impossible  to  ascertain  their  precise  posi- 
tion, except  possibly  by  the  wreaths  of  smoke, 
which  might,  at  certain  hours,  be  rising  from  the 
fires  of  the  field  kitchens. 


UP  IN  A  BALLOON  57 

Nor  could  the  wariest  and  most  energetic  scout 
be  justly  expected  to  report  accurately  as  to  the 
number  of  the  Federal  troops,  or  as  to  their  exact 
disposition,  since  one  man,  or  even  half  a  dozen 
men,  however  experienced,  would  have  found  it  im- 
practicable to  cover  furtively  the  whole  intricate 
field  of  the  enemy's  operations  which  had  to  be 
inspected  and  fully  comprehended. 

It  was,  however,  imperative  that  the  Confederate 
Commander  should  obtain  information  of  what  was  go- 
ing on  beyond  the  line  of  breastworks.  Were  the 
enemy  getting  ready  for  an  assault,  and,  if  so,  in  what 
strength?  When,  as  indicated  by  their  movements, 
was  the  attack  likely  to  be  made?  Johnston  was 
entirely  in  the  dark  on  these  points  at  a  moment 
when  he  wished  to  know  positively  the  immediate 
intentions  of  the  Federals  as  revealed  by  the  actions 
of  their  troops  in  camp.  There  was  little  use  in 
sending  out  a  scout,  as  has  been  seen,  for  not  only 
was  the  field  to  be  reported  on  too  broad,  but  he 
might  be  captured  and  never  return.  Nor  was 
there  any  advantage,  as  already  pointed  out,  in 
establishing  a  crow's  nest  in  a  tall  pine,  since  no 
outlook  was  to  be  obtained  thereby.  How  then  was 
the  General  to  surmount  the  disconcerting  situation 
facing  him? 

Fortunately,  when  he  set  out  for  the  Peninsula, 
he   knew   the   general   character   of   the   country   in 


58  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

which  he  was  to  campaign.  What  was  the  best 
means  of  seeing  far  and  wide  over  this  flat  and 
jungle-like  region?  By  a  balloon,  of  course.  John- 
ston had  brought  with  him  all  the  material  for  just 
such  aircraft,  and  he  now  determined  to  put  it  to 
immediate  use.  This  balloon,  which,  it  is  said, 
was  the  first  that  the  Confederates  employed,  was 
made,  not  of  rubber, — stuff  with  difficulty  procured 
in  the  South  at  that  hour, — but  of  thick  cotton 
cloth,  rendered  very  stiff  and  perfectly  air  tight  by 
several  coatings  of  tar.  In  ordinary  times,  the 
hydrogen  gas  with  which  to  inflate  the  envelope 
would  have  been  produced  on  the  spot;  but  there 
were  no  facilities  for  doing  this  in  a  temporary 
Confederate  camp,  and,  in  consequence,  hot  air  had 
to  be  used  as  a  substitute. 

Possessing  a  balloon,  and  with  the  means  to  make 
it  rise  from  the  ground  into  the  sky,  the  General 
was  now  at  a  loss  as  to  how  to  obtain  an  aeronaut 
who  would  be  able  to  manage  it  safely.  It  was  not 
sufficient  that  the  man  should  have  had  some  ex- 
perience, and  that  he  should  possess  an  iron  nerve; 
he  should  be  a  person  too  who  could  give  an  intelli- 
gent description  of  the  dispositions  of  the  hostile 
forces  on  land  and  water.  Not  only  would  he  have 
to  observe  all  that  lay  beneath  him,  but  also  make 
notes  of  what  he  saw  so  as  to  assure  the  most  com- 
plete accuracy  in  his  subsequent  report  to  head- 
quarters. 


UP  IN  A  BALLOON  59 

There  was  no  one  in  the  Confederate  army  pre- 
sent who  had  received  any  training  at  all  as  an  air 
pilot;  but  this  fact,  though  known  to  General  John- 
ston, failed  to  discourage  him,  for  it  could  be  met 
in  a  measure  by  attaching  the  balloon  to  the  ground 
by  a  long  rope.  It  is  true  that  the  rope  might  be 
shot  to  pieces  by  the  enemy's  batteries  when  the 
balloon  was  up  in  the  sky,  but  this  was  a  risk 
which  he  knew  would  be  taken  by  any  brave  man. 

The  General  made  his  choice  on  a  mere  venture. 
Without  stating  the  character  of  the  task  which  he 
had  in  view,  he  wrote  General  Magruder  to  send  to 
him  a  soldier  who  was  familiar  with  this  particular 
region  of  country  by  his  having  resided  in  it;  who 
was  a  quick  and  shrewd  observer;  and  whose  cour- 
age was  not  likely  to  be  shaken  by  his  being  placed 
in  a  dangerous  and  novel  situation. 

This  note  passed  through  the  Adjutant-General's 
office,  and  was  there  read  by  a  young  fellow  twenty- 
one  years  of  age, — John  Randolph  Bryan,  who  bore 
a  name  of  social  and  political  distinction  in  both 
Georgia  and  Virginia.  Having  been  born  in  Glou- 
cester county,  which  was  situated  on  York  river 
just  opposite  Yorktown,  he  had,  from  boyhood, 
known  minutely  the  typography  of  the  country  now 
occupied  by  the  two  opposing  armies;  thus  he 
possessed  the  first  of  the  qualifications  which  the 
Commander    had    required;    and    as    he    was    very 


60  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

anxious  to  win  distinction,  he  ventured  to  think 
that  he  would  not  be  found  devoid  of  the  others 
should  he  be  put  to  the  practical  test  by  circum- 
stances. He,  therefore,  requested  General  Magruder 
to  assign  him  for  whatever  enterprise  General  John- 
ston had  under  consideration. 

When  Bryan  set  out  for  the  latter's  headquarters, 
he  was  ordered  to  report  to  the  Commander  in  per- 
son. As  he  entered  the  General's  tent,  the  General 
got  his  first  sight  of  him  and  started  back  in  undis- 
guised astonishment  at  his  aeronaut's  youthful  ap- 
pearance. This  surprise  perhaps  caused  him  to 
make  his  questions  so  keen  and  searching;  indeed, 
his  inquiries  were  put  so  sharply  and  so  quickly  as 
almost  to  disconcert  the  young  man,  cool  and  sturdy 
as  he  was. 

"Have  you  any  military  knowledge,  Sir?  How 
long  have  you  served  in  the  army,  Sir?  If  you  were 
inspecting  from  a  distance,  Sir,  would  you  be  able 
to  distinguish  artillery  from  infantry,  or  infantry 
from  dismounted  cavalry?  What  information,  Sir, 
have  you  about  the  different  roads,  creeks,  and 
fords  in  this  part  of  the  Peninsula?" 

These  questions  having  been  answered  to  his  ap- 
parent satisfaction,  he  turned  abruptly  to  his  aide, 
who  had  been  present  during  the  interview: 

"Assign  Mr.  Bryan  to  the  balloon  service,"  he 
ordered.     "He    is   expected    to    make    at    once    the 


UP  IN  A  BALLOON  61 

necessary  reconnoissances.  Please  instruct  him  as  to 
the  precise  information  which  we  shall  want,  and  as 
to  the  form  of  the  report  which  he  will  have  to 
submit  on  his  return  from  his  flight." 

Now  Bryan  was  as  brave  as  a  young  lion  in 
spirit,  and  he  also  thirsted  for  a  chance  to  win  dis- 
tinction for  himself,  but  it  had  not  occurred  to  him, 
when  he  volunteered  his  services,  that  his  new 
career  of  adventure  was  to  take  him  into  the  un- 
stable regions  of  the  upper  air. 

"General,"  he  protested,  "I  never  saw  a  balloon 
in  my  life.  I  know  nothing,  Sir,  as  to  the  proper 
way  of  managing  one." 

General  Johnston  looked  at  him  sternly. 

"What  I  want,  Sir,"  he  said  in  his  briefest  man- 
ner, "is  a  man  to  go  up  in  the  balloon.  Hold  your- 
self in  readiness  to  obey  my  orders." 

No  room  was  left  for  further  argument.  Bryan 
withdrew  somewhat  shaken  by  the  prospect  of  soon 
finding  himself  in  the  most  novel  situation  of  his 
life;  but  he  resolved  to  face  its  dangers  with  the 
brave  front  which  had  always  distinguished  him. 
He  felt  just  as  a  man  who  had  never  been  in  the 
water  would  do  if  ordered  to  throw  himself  over- 
board and  swim  to  the  shore.  He  was  not  aware 
at  the  moment  he  was  informed  of  the  task  before 
him  that  the  balloon  would  be  attached  to  the 
ground;   but   while   this   would   require   of   him   less 


62  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

skill  as  an  aeronaut,  it  would  not  really  diminish 
his  peril  from  shot  and  shell,  for  the  balloon  would 
still  be  a  target  for  the  enemy's  batteries. 

The  hour  having  arrived  for  the  ascension,  he  was 
escorted  to  the  spot  where  the  balloon  was  tied  to 
a  tree.  It  had  already  been  inflated  with  hot  air 
by  means  of  a  flue  that  had  sucked  the  air  up 
from  a  roaring  fire  fed  with  pine  knots  and  balls  of 
turpentine.  The  rope  that  held  down  the  huge 
envelope  was  at  least  half  a  mile  in  length,  but  was 
easily  worked  by  the  men  in  charge  of  it  by  draw- 
ing it  around  a  windlass.  The  balloon  could  thus 
be  made  to  ascend  or  descend  at  will. 

Before  entering  the  basket,  Bryan  was  handed  a 
small  flag  which  he  was  told  to  use  in  signaling  to 
the  men  at  the  windlass,  should  he  wish  to  rise  to 
a  higher  altitude  or  to  come  down  to  the  earth 
again.  He  now  received  his  final  instructions:  he 
was  not  only  to  make  a  written  note  describing  the 
exact  character  of  the  respective  positions  of  the 
enemy's  infantry,  artillery,  and  cavalry,  but  also  to 
draw  a  map  with  materials  given  him  which  would 
show  at  a  glance  those  positions  in  their  relation 
to  the  rest  of  the  surrounding  country. 

The  first  perilous  moment  for  our  amateur  aero- 
naut was  the  one  at  which  the  balloon  would  appear 
above  the  tops  of  the  trees;  being  then  still  near  the 
ground,  it  would  be  in  range  of  the  hostile  guns. 


Bryan  Was  to  Use  a  Small  Flag  in   Signaling 


UP  IN  A  BALLOON  63 

As  soon  as  it  should  reach  a  point  high  up  in  the 
sky,  the  enemy  would  find  it  impossible  to  raise 
the  mouths  of  their  cannon  on  a  line  of  such  sharp 
elevation  as  to  fire  them  with  any  prospect  of  suc- 
cess. 

Two  steps  were  taken  that  were  expected  to  in- 
crease the  chance  of  a  safe  ascent  in  the  dangerous 
earliest  stage:  first,  the  balloon  was  placed  behind 
a  thicket  of  pine  which  would  serve  as  a  perfect 
curtain  when  the  start  was  made;  and  secondly,  the 
crew  were  ordered  to  let  the  rope  out  with  great 
rapidity  in  the  beginning  so  that  the  balloon  might 
shoot  suddenly  far  above  the  intervening  screen  of 
trees.  The  enemy  might  thus  be  unable  to  fire  at 
it  before  it  had  risen  high  in  the  air. 

While  their  shrapnel  might  be  evaded  in  the 
ascent  by  this  precaution,  no  like  means  of  escaping 
could  be  devised  for  the  descent,  for,  as  the  balloon 
came  down,  its  motion  earthward  was  certain  to  be 
observed  by  the  hostile  cannoneers,  who  would  hold 
their  fire  until  it  was  within  the  range  of  their 
guns. 

The  enemy  must  have  been  informed  by  spies  of 
the  intended  ascent,  for  hardly  had  the  balloon 
risen  above  the  tops  of  the  pines  when  a  cannon  in 
the  nearest  Federal  encampment  was  hastily  ele- 
vated and  began  to  discharge  shrapnel  straight  at 
it.    A  rain  of  shells  and  bullets  was  scattered  about 


64  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

the  great  floating  cotton  bag,  but  fortunately,  none 
of  the  missiles  or  their  fragments  struck  either  the 
envelope  or  the  occupant  of  the  basket.  Bryan 
had  the  presence  of  mind  to  wave  his  flag  to  the 
crew  below  as  a  signal  to  them  to  let  the  rope  run 
out  faster  so  that  a  more  rapid  headway  might  in- 
crease his  chance  of  escaping;  a  quick  response  fol- 
lowed; and  the  balloon  shot  up  so  high  in  a  few 
minutes  that  the  Federal  gunners  ceased  their  fire. 
Bryan  again  signalled  to  the  crew,  and  the  balloon 
came  to  a  stop. 

The  experience  through  which  he  had  just  passed 
was  so  exciting  that  he  afterwards  acknowledged 
that,  for  a  time,  he  was  unable  to  observe  the  posi- 
tions of  the  enemy  or  to  note  the  probable  number 
of  the  troops,  in  the  several  arms  of  the  service, 
who  might  be  seen  from  the  great  height.  Every 
puff  of  wind  swayed  the  basket  to  and  fro  and 
caused  the  enormous  bag  above  him  to  tug  at  the 
rope  like  some  animal  trying  to  escape.  Apart 
from  the  awful  uncertainty  of  his  seat  at  that  fear- 
ful altitude,  which  made  his  brain  dizzy,  he  could 
not  help  thinking  of  the  perils  of  the  descent  that 
he  would  soon  have  to  face.  But  gradually  his 
equanimity  returned  and  he  was  able  to  perform 
the  task  which  had  brought  him  into  that  lofty 
sphere. 

Below  him  lay  the  entire  region  situated  between 
the   Chesapeake   on   the   east,   James   river   on   the 


UP  IN  A  BALLOON  65 

west,  and  Hampton  Roads  on  the  south.  It  was 
spread  out  like  a  vast  map,  with  all  its  natural 
features  distinctly  visible.  A  closer  inspection  re- 
vealed the  sites  of  the  hostile  encampments  and 
the  positions  of  the  artillery,  infantry,  and  cavalry. 
It  was  no  easy  job  to  make  a  note  in  writing  and 
draft  a  map  of  all  that  he  was  able  to  observe,  for 
the  balloon,  blown  about  by  the  currents  in  the 
upper  air,  soon  became  as  unsteady  as  if  it  were  a 
gigantic  top  spinning  slowly  in  one  complete  revolu- 
tion after  another. 

But  after  a  considerable  interval,  he  was  success- 
ful in  completing  in  detail  the  work  which  he  had 
been  ordered  to  do  and  signalled  to  the  men  on  the 
ground  that  he  was  ready  to  descend.  He  was  now 
fully  aware  that  he  was  about  to  pass  through  the 
greatest  perils  of  his  entire  flight.  Nor  did  he 
exaggerate  them;  the  enemy  clearly  understood  the 
value  of  the  information  which  he  would  bring  Gen- 
eral Johnston  to  aid  the  Confederate  cause  and  to 
damage  the  Federal;  and  they  determined  to  blow 
up  the  balloon  and  destroy  its  occupant  if  it  were 
possible  to  do  so.  Instead  of  one  battery  being 
trained  on  Bryan,  as  in  the  ascent,  there  were  now 
four  or  five;  and  so  soon  as  the  balloon  sank  within 
range  of  the  guns,  they  opened  on  it  with  a  violent 
and  continuous  fire.  The  air  around  it  appeared  to 
the  lookers-on  below  to  be  filled  with  flame  and 
smoke  from  the  bursting  shrapnel. 


66  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

But  again  fortune  favored  Bryan;  with  such 
energy  did  the  crew,  working  in  relays,  turn  the 
windlass  that  the  balloon  descended  even  more 
rapidly  than  it  went  up;  and  very  soon  disappeared 
from  the  enemy's  sight  behind  the  screen  of  pine 
trees.  It  had  made  the  whole  of  its  dangerous 
voyage  without  receiving  a  single  scratch. 

General  Johnston  was  very  much  pleased  with  his 
aeronaut's  report  and  warmly  praised  him  for  the 
courage  and  skill  which  he  had  shown.  Bryan  re- 
ceived these  words  of  commendation  with  the  mod- 
esty of  a  true  hero;  but  he  was  not  eager  to  put 
himself  in  so  novel  a  situation  a  second  time. 

"Will  you  not  now,  Sir,"  he  asked,  "reassign  me 
to  my  former  place  with  General  Magruder?" 

"My  dear  Sir,"  replied  Johnston  with  his  most 
winning  smile,  "I  fear  that  you  forget  that  you  are 
the  only  experienced  aeronaut  that  I  have  with 
my  army.  You  will  please  hold  yourself  in  readi- 
ness, as  we  may  wish  you  to  make  another  ascen- 
sion at  any  time." 

Within  a  few  days,  he  received  an  order  to  go  up 
in  the  balloon  again.  Special  precautions  were  now 
taken  to  increase  the  chances  for  a  safe  voyage.  A 
new  spot  from  which  the  balloon  was  to  be  sent  up 
was  chosen  at  some  distance  from  the  old.  This,  it 
was  hoped,  would  disconcert  the  enemy's  gunners, 
as  they  would  be  looking  for  its  next  appearance 


UP  IN  A  BALLOON  67 

above  the  same  screen  of  pines  as  at  first.  In  addi- 
tion, a  more  rapid  descent  was  to  be  assured  by 
the  use  of  six  strong  artillery  horses  hitched  to  the 
end  of  the  rope;  when  the  signal  should  be  given 
by  the  aeronaut  in  the  sky,  these  horses  were  to  be 
ridden  at  full  speed  up  the  road  leading  right  away 
from  the  windlass. 

The  second  ascension  went  off  without  any  mis- 
hap, and  Bryan  now  began  to  think  that,  after  all, 
General  Johnston  was  right  in  considering  him  to 
be  an  experienced  aeronaut.  Anyway,  he  looked  for- 
ward to  another  flight  with  much  less  nervousness; 
and  was  not  disconcerted  when  he  received  the 
order  to  go  up  the  third  time. 

It  had  been  reported  by  the  outposts  that  the 
enemy  were  in  motion,  and  it  became  of  urgent 
importance  to  ascertain  the  exact  point  on  the  line 
of  Confederate  entrenchments  which  they  were 
likely  to  assault  first.  There  was  now  a  full  moon 
and  observations  could  be  taken  from  a  point  in 
the  sky  almost  as  accurately  at  night  as  during  the 
day,  and  with  much  less  danger.  The  firing  crew 
were  ordered  to  inflate  the  balloon  at  once,  and 
Bryan  was  directed  to  enter  the  basket  so  soon  as 
the  men  gave  the  signal  that  all  was  ready.  Never 
had  he  mounted  to  his  seat  with  so  strong  a  feeling 
of  confidence,  for  he  now  looked  on  himself  as  being 
no  longer  an  amateur.     The  enemy  too  would   be 


68  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

unable,  in  spite  of  the  bright  moonlight,  to  follow 
the  ascent  of  the  balloon  with  as  much  certainty  as 
during  the  day;  and  as  they  were  now  advancing,  their 
batteries  could  not,  in  their  former  number  at  least, 
hurl  shrapnel  at  their  aerial  target. 

But  it  is  always  the  unexpected  that  happens. 
Bryan  almost  immediately  found  himself  in  a  situa- 
tion encompassed  by  such  dangers  as  he  had  never 
yet  been  called  upon  to  face.  As  this  balloon  was 
the  only  one  attached  to  that  Confederate  army,  its 
ascension  was  regarded  by  the  soldiers  as  an  event 
of  extraordinary  interest;  and  they  always  gathered 
around  the  fire  when  the  inflation  was  going  on  to 
watch  the  process,  and  afterwards  to  gaze  at  the 
great  bag  as  it  rose  towards  the  zenith.  On  this 
particular  occasion,  a  larger  number  than  usual  had 
assembled,  since  it  was  night  when  most  of  the  men 
were  off  duty.  The  brilliant  flames  from  the  pine 
knot  fuel  were  visible  in  the  half  darkness  to  even 
the  most  distant  camps,  and  this  drew  many  addi- 
tional spectators  to  the  spot;  so  many,  indeed,  came 
to  gratify  their  curiosity  that  the  crew  engaged  in 
filling  the  balloon  with  hot  air  found  it  difficult  to 
perform  their  task  for  the  pushing,  staring  crowd 
about  them. 

But  finally  their  work  was  finished.  Bryan 
stepped  into  the  basket;  the  windlass  began  to  turn; 
and  the  balloon  rose  from  the  ground.     It  went  up 


UP  IN  A  BALLOON  69 

very  smoothly  until  it  had  reached  a  height  of 
about  two  hundred  feet,  when,  with  the  suddenness 
of  a  pistol  shot,  it  fairly  darted  straight  up  into  the 
sky  as  if  it  had  been  discharged  from  some  gigantic 
catapult.  The  rope  had  been  cut  and  the  balloon 
was  at  the  mercy  of  the  winds! 

The  accident  had  happened  in  a  curious  way.  It 
seems  that  one  of  the  soldiers,  in  his  burning  eager- 
ness to  watch  every  stage  in  the  inflation  of  the 
balloon,  had,  without  knowing  it,  stepped  in  the 
open  centre  of  the  great  coil  of  rope  that  was  to  be 
wound  around  the  windlass  as  the  balloon  went  up. 
So  soon  as  the  ascent  began,  this  rope  started  to 
run  out  so  fast,  and  with  such  a  disturbing  noise, 
that  the  man,  in  his  astonishment  and  confusion, 
permitted  his  feet  to  become  entangled,  and  seeing 
himself  drawn  helplessly  toward  the  windlass, 
screamed  at  the  top  of  his  voice  for  assistance.  A 
comrade,  standing  near,  thinking  that  his  friend 
would  certainly  be  caught  in  the  windlass  and 
killed,  picked  up  a  hatchet  and  with  a  quick  blow 
severed  the  rope.  The  man  was  thus  saved  from 
injury  or  death,  but  the  balloon  was  set  free  to  rise 
as  high  and  to  float  as  far  as  the  winds  should 
dictate. 

Bryan's  sensations,  when  he  found  himself  darting 
up  to  the  heavens  at  the  speed  of  the  fastest  loco- 
motive, were  far  more  acute  and  bewildering  than 


70  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

they  were  at  the  beginning  of  his  first  adventure. 
His  breath  was  taken  away;  and  he  could  only  grip 
the  sides  of  his  basket  to  save  himself  from  falling 
out.  He  afterwards  calculated  that  the  balloon  only 
ceased  to  shoot  upwards  when  it  had  reached  an 
altitude  of  two  miles:  at  that  height,  even  had  it 
been  during  the  day,  it  would  have  been  barely  pos- 
sible for  him  to  discern  the  exact  positions  of  the 
enemy,  but,  at  night,  although  the  moon  was  shin- 
ing so  brightly,  all  thought  of  taking  observations 
of  what  was  going  on  below  was  wholly  impractic- 
able. Even  if  it  had  been  otherwise,  the  perils  of 
the  aeronaut's  situation  would  not  have  admitted, 
in  the  first  stage  at  least,  of  his  discharging  such  a 
duty. 

The  balloon  being  now  entirely  beyond  his  con- 
trol, the  prospect  before  him  was  not  a  cheerful  one; 
indeed,  all  the  chances  were  that  he  would  either 
come  to  the  ground  within  the  enemy's  lines  or  be 
dropped  into  Chesapeake  Bay.  In  the  one  case,  he 
would  be  imprisoned;  in  the  other,  drowned.  He 
knew  that  the  balloon  would  remain  up  in  the  sky 
as  long  as  the  air  which  it  contained  should  keep 
its  heat.  What  time  must  pass  before  it  should 
begin  to  cool? 

Before  the  smallest  evidence  that  the  heat  was 
diminishing  revealed  itself,  the  balloon  floated 
lazily  far  back  behind  the  Confederate  lines.     Bryan 


UP  IN  A  BALLOON  71 

began  to  hope  that,  after  all,  he  was  going  to 
escape  the  capture  which  he  had  been  foreboding. 
Then  a  current  of  wind  struck  the  sides  of  the 
great  bag,  stopped  it,  and  gradually  diverted  its 
motion  in  the  other  direction;  in  a  short  time,  he 
found  himself  floating  far  behind  the  Federal  en- 
campments, and  now  his  heart  sank, — he  was  cer- 
tain that  he  would  be  taken  prisoner.  But  again 
the  balloon  became  the  sport  of  an  air  current  an- 
tagonistic to  the  one  propelling  it;  and  under  this 
new  pressure,  it  slowly  turned  and  floated  back 
towards  the  Confederate  entrenchments. 

The  hot  air  had  now  cooled  to  such  a  degree  that 
the  balloon  had  sunk  to  a  plane  of  the  atmosphere 
only  a  few  hundred  feet  above  the  ground.  But 
this  fact  created  a  new  danger.  If  he  passed  over 
the  Federal  batteries  at  that  height,  they  would  not 
fail  to  open  fire  and  bring  him  to  earth;  might  not 
the  Confederate  batteries  also  send  a  storm  of  shrap- 
nel after  him  in  their  ignorance  as  to  his  identity? 
He  was  now  so  near  the  surface  of  the  ground  that 
there  should  be  little  difficulty  in  hitting  so  enor- 
mous a  target. 

Hardly  had  the  balloon  arrived  over  the  first 
Confederate  encampment  when  its  occupant  was 
greeted  with  a  fusillade  of  musketry,  and  although 
he  frantically  waved  his  signal  flag,  the  soldiers 
below   ran   forward   some   distance,    as   he   receded, 


72  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

firing  at  the  huge  object  overhead,  now  clearly- 
visible  in  the  moonlight.  Slowly  the  balloon  drifted 
away  until  it  stood  above  the  margin  of  York 
river,  and  as  it  passed  out  over  the  stream,  it  had 
sunk  so  low  that  Bryan  could  distinctly  hear  the 
rope  that  was  trailing  beneath  it  splashing  in  the 
water. 

Fearing  that  he  would  be  thrown  out  into  the 
Bay,  and  that  he  would  be  impeded  in  swimming 
by  a  pair  of  heavy  boots  which  he  was  wearing,  he 
endeavored  to  draw  them  off,  but  in  vain;  and  it 
was  not  until  he  had  ripped  their  sides  wide  open 
with  his  knife  that  he  at  last  rid  his  feet  of  the 
obstruction. 

While  he  was  fumbling  with  this  task,  the  balloon, 
under  the  influence  of  another  current  of  air,  drifted 
back  to  land;  and  when  it  had  sunk  still  nearer  to 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  he  grasped  the  rope,  and 
with  the  agility  of  an  acrobat,  let  himself  down  to 
the  ground  by  means  of  it. 

Running  forward  with  the  end  in  his  hand,  he 
tied  it  to  a  tree,  and  the  balloon,  already  near  the 
last  stage  of  complete  collapse,  soon  settled  quietly 
in  a  heap  on  the  grass. 


CHAPTER  IV 
Lieutenant  Robins  and  the  Vanguard 


CHAPTER  IV 

LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  AND  THE  VANGUARD 

Through  the  region  that  lies  between  the  Pa- 
munkey  and  the  James,  there  flows  a  river  the  name 
of  which  was  on  the  lips  of  all  men  during  the 
spring  and  summer  of  1862;  this  is  the  Chickahom- 
iny,  a  stream  that,  for  many  miles  of  its  course,  is 
bordered  by  green  swamps  and  stagnant,  pestilential 
backwaters.  In  the  second  year  of  the  war,  this 
marshy  stream  was  crossed  by  wooden  bridges, 
approached  on  either  side  by  roadbeds  covered  over 
with  saplings,  laid  down  one  after  the  other  so  un- 
evenly as  to  cause  many  a  jolt  to  the  passing  wagon. 
In  this  way  alone  could  a  firm  highway  be  built 
on  that  mass  of  oozing  mud.  Back  of  the  swamps, 
were  either  narrow  lowgrounds  or  hills  overgrown 
with  stunted  trees  and  scrubby  bushes,  interspersed 
with  small  farms  that  showed  few  signs  of  thrift  or 
prosperity. 

It  was  on  the  banks  of  this  jungle  stream  that 
McClellan  posted  the  great  army  which  he  had  led 
up  the  Peninsula  for  the  capture  of  the  Confederate 
capital.  The  position  was  a  dangerous  one  for  that 
army  to  occupy  should  it  meet  with  even  a  partial 
defeat,  whether  on  the  north  or  the  south  side  of 


76  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

the  river.  The  Federal  success  at  Fair  Oaks,  and 
the  coming  up  of  reinforcements,  alone  prevented 
the  Federal  failure  at  Seven  Pines  from  developing 
into  a  disastrous  rout. 

June  had  now  arrived.  The  trees  were  clothed 
with  their  greenest  leaves;  the  fields  were  carpeted 
with  newly  sprung  grass;  the  swamps  had  become 
screens  of  foliage  impenetrable  to  the  eye;  and  the 
softness  and  beauty  of  summer  in  its  earliest  flush 
brooded  over  the  entire  landscape.  It  was  in  the 
midst  of  this  scene,  so  touched  by  the  wand  of  the 
loveliest  and  most  promising  season  of  the  year, 
that  the  two  hostile  armies  stood  sternly  facing  each 
other,  like  a  couple  of  gladiators,  who,  after  wrestling 
together  without  preponderance  for  either,  have 
stopped  simply  to  recover  their  breath.  The  situa- 
tion was  more  disappointing  to  the  Federals,  for 
they  were  now  so  near  their  goal,  Richmond,  that 
they  could,  from  the  hills,  descry  the  tallest  spires 
of  the  city  and  hear  the  striking  of  its  public  clocks. 

Lee  was  soon  appointed  to  take  the  place  of 
Johnston,  who,  having  been  severely  wounded,  had 
been  compelled  to  throw  up  active  service.  The 
new  commander  found  his  antagonist  very  firmly 
entrenched  in  front  of  him.  A  direct  attack  was  not 
likely  to  succeed.    Would  an  attack  upon  the  flank? 

Lee  decided  to  dispatch  a  considerable  force 
northward  to  Hanover  Court-House  to  ascertain  the 


LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  77 

defenses  of  the  Federal  right  wing,  which  had  been 
pushed  forward  to  that  point  in  the  hope  of  soon 
joining  hands  with  McDowell,  descending  from 
Washington  and  Fredericksburg.  If  the  defenses 
were  reported  to  be  weak,  Jackson  could  be  brought 
suddenly  and  secretly  from  the  Valley  to  strike  the 
right  wing,  to  double  it  up,  and  to  throw  it  back  in 
confusion  on  the  Federal  centre;  which,  simulta- 
neously, might  be  assaulted  directly  by  the  main 
body  of  the  Confederate  troops,  now  stationed 
behind  their  line  of  breastworks. 

The  task  of  getting  the  information  wanted  was 
a  dangerous  one,  and  could  only  be  safely  entrusted 
to  a  very  bold  yet  cautious  leader  and  to  picked 
men  and  tested  horses.  There  was  one  officer  who 
possessed,  in  the  highest  degree,  the  daring,  the 
prudence,  and  the  skill  required  for  such  an  enter- 
prise; this  was  General  Jeb  Stuart,  who  commanded 
all  the  cavalry  belonging  to  the  Confederate  army. 

The  war  did  not  give  birth  on  either  side  to  a 
more  gallant  or  a  more  picturesque  figure  than  this 
famous  officer.  The  spirit  of  gayety  seemed  to  sit 
upon  the  crest  of  his  personality  as  well  in  the  hour 
of  peril  as  in  the  hour  of  peace;  when  the  first  note 
of  the  bugle  sounding  Boots  and  Saddles  was  heard, 
he  would  leap  on  his  horse  with  the  delighted  ani- 
mation of  a  man  who  was  about  to  enter  a  ball- 
room  for   the   dance.     Riding   at   the   head    of   his 


78  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

column  in  the  course  of  a  raid  that  may  have 
taken  him  far  behind  the  enemy's  lines,  and  even 
when  charging  at  the  head  of  his  men, — for  he  never 
ordered  them  to  go  where  he  was  not  ready  to  go 
with  them, — he  would  burst  out  into  song,  indif- 
ferent to  the  clatter  of  the  march  or  the  storm  of 
bursting  shells,  as  if  for  him  the  shadow  of  death 
had  in  it  something  stimulating  and  exhilarating. 
His  negro  banjo  player  always  went  along  with  him 
in  his  campaigns  to  please  his  master's  ear,  both  on 
the  road  and  in  the  tent,  with  the  old  plantation 
melodies. 

He  was  the  ideal  cavalier  in  his  manner,  his 
stride,  and  his  dress;  and  in  spirit  too,  for  he  was 
equally  ready  to  charge  the  enemy  or  to  play  the 
gallant  to  the  admiring  ladies.  "His  men,"  a  mem- 
ber of  his  staff  records,  "treated  him  more  like  the 
chief  huntsman  of  a  hunting  party  than  as  a  Major- 
General. "  His  uniform  showed  his  love  of  gay 
colors, — gold  braid  and  buttons  that  shone  brilliantly 
adorned  his  jacket;  from  his  hat,  looped  up  on  one 
side  by  a  golden  star,  a  large  plume  always  floated; 
his  cape,  which  he  usually  wore  thrown  back  over 
his  shoulders,  was  lined  with  scarlet;  his  spurs  were 
made  of  the  purest  gold;  and  he  not  infrequently 
appeared  on  the  parade  and  on  the  march  with  his 
horse's  neck  wreathed  in  brightly  tinted  flowers. 

Beneath  these  lighter  qualities,  there  lurked  a  firm- 
ness of  courage  which  no  dangers  or  difficulties  could 


LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  79 

daunt  or  confuse;  a  power  of  endurance  which  no 
fatigue  could  exhaust;  and  a  capacity  for  military 
leadership  which  was  relied  upon  with  unquestioning 
confidence  by  every  officer  and  private  at  his  back. 

Who  were  the  men  now  detailed  to  follow  this 
splendid  leader  upon  one  of  the  most  dangerous 
enterprises  in  which  soldiers  ever  took  part?  These 
troopers  had  been  chosen  from  the  body  of  the  Con- 
federate cavalry,  perhaps  the  most  accomplished 
arm  of  the  service,  and  they  had  been  prepared  for 
the  expedition  before  them  by  the  experience  they 
had  recently  acquired  in  Northern  Virginia  and  on 
the  Peninsula.  Always  the  eyes  and  ears  of  the 
army,  they  had  kept  up  their  ceaseless  vigil  on  the 
enemy's  movements  throughout  the  winter  and 
spring,  regardless  alike  of  rain  and  snow  and  sun- 
shine, and  indifferent  to  the  condition  of  the  roads, 
whether  frozen  as  hard  as  iron  or  melted  into 
bottomless  mud.  The  clash  of  sabres  and  the  rattle 
of  carbines  had  been  ever  in  their  ears;  and  never 
were  they  slow  in  mounting  to  the  saddle  at  the 
first  note  of  the  bugle,  even  should  it  ring  out  in 
the  middle  of  the  night.  Their  only  tents  had  been 
their  blankets,  and  their  only  commissary  stores 
such  food  as  they  could  pick  up  at  the  farm-houses 
along  the  road. 

Indeed,  their  marches  had  been  full  of  exciting 
episodes  from  day  to  day  and  even  from  hour  to 


80  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

hour.  Incident  and  adventure  had  crowded  on 
them, — now  they  were  pursuing  or  retreating  before 
the  enemy;  now  they  were  scouting  or  skirmishing 
or  plunging  into  a  pitched  battle.  They  had  drunk 
deeply  of  the  life  of  partisans  and  rangers  on  a  grand 
scale, — at  one  moment,  exposed  to  all  the  fatigues 
of  the  night  raid  or  to  the  imminent  perils  of  a 
clash  of  arms  in  the  day  time;  at  the  next,  relaxing 
under  the  influence  of  jovial  comradeship  in  the 
light  of  the  bivouac  fires  beneath  the  boughs  of  the 
silent  forest, — an  endless  round,  as  one  of  their  own 
comrades  has  written,  of  marching,  fighting,  jesting, 
feasting,  starving. 

Such  had  been  the  recent  experiences  of  the  men 
who  were  about  to  set  out  with  Stuart  upon  what 
was  to  prove  to  be  the  most  brilliant  adventure  even 
in  his  romantic  career.  There  were  about  fifteen 
hundred  troopers  in  all.  The  vanguard,  composed 
of  some  fifteen  picked  cavalrymen,  was  under  the 
command  of  Lieutenant  William  T.  Robins,  an  officer 
even  younger  in  years  than  Stuart,  whom  he  re- 
sembled in  his  love  of  fun  and  frolic,  in  his  buoyant 
and  sanguine  disposition,  in  his  fondness  for  the 
excitement  of  battle,  and  in  his  perfect  contempt 
for  danger.  He  possessed  all  the  qualities  of  the 
typical  young  Virginian  of  that  period.  Before  hos- 
tilities began,  he  was  a  country  gentleman  dis- 
tinguished among  his  fellows  for  his  manly  accom- 


LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  81 


plishments, — he  was  a  skillful  oarsman,  a  fearless 
rider,  an  accurate  shot,  a  graceful  dancer,  a  charm- 
ing raconteur,  a  gay  and  sympathetic  companion, 
and  an  hospitable  host.  Having,  like  Stuart,  the 
keenest  relish  for  a  song,  he  was  often  heard,  as  he 
dashed  along  in  the  ride  around  McClellan's  army, 
trolling  "In  the  Good  Old  Colony  Days,"  "Bonnie 
Blue  Flag,"  and  other  airs  which  were  popular  in 
those  stirring  times. 

When  the  squadron  under  Stuart  started  on  the 
morning  of  June  12th  on  their  great  reconnoisance, 
not  an  officer  under  him,  including  Lieutenant 
Robins,  who  was  to  lead  the  vanguard,  was  aware 
of  the  exact  destination  which  the  General  had  in 
view.  Indeed,  as  we  shall  see,  circumstances  were 
to  govern  the  movements  of  the  expedition.  Lieu- 
tenant Robins  was  ordered  to  keep  well  in  front  on 
the  march.  He  received  sixty  rounds  of  ammuni- 
tion and  three  day's  rations  for  each  soldier  under 
him.  This  very  ignorance  as  to  the  real  purpose  of 
the  enterprise  exhilarated  his  men;  they  were  at 
least  sure  that  their  love  of  adventure  was  soon  to 
be  fully  gratified,  probably  by  a  clash  with  the 
enemy  and  certainly  by  an  outing  in  the  open  fields 
and  woods.  If  there  was  to  be  any  excitement, 
whether  of  the  attack  or  the  pursuit,  they  would,  as 
the  vanguard,  be  the  first  to  plunge  into  it  and  the 
first  to  draw  blood.     As  gaily  as  if  they  were  about 


82  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

to  take  part  in  a  fox  chase,  they  leaped  upon  their 
horses  when  the  bugle  sounded  Boots  and  Saddles; 
and  as  they  rode  away  at  a  fast  trot,  one  of  them 
called  out  to  a  small  disconsolate  group  of  soldiers 
left  behind  in  the  camp: 

"Goodbye,  boys,  we  are  going  to  help  old  Jack 
drive  the  Yanks  into  the  Potomac." 

So  the  vanguard  conjectured  because  Lieutenant 
Robins  had  received  the  order  to  move  straight 
towards  the  north,  which  would  have  brought  them 
in  time  to  Fredericksburg,  and  in  the  end  into 
actual  conflict  with  McDowell.  Throughout  the 
day,  they  kept  well  ahead  of  the  main  body,  and 
were  untiring  in  their  search  for  traces  of  Federal 
scouts  and  detachments,  who  might  have  stolen 
that  far  beyond  their  lines.  The  woods  were  now  in 
their  greenest  and  lushest  leaf;  the  fields  were  cov- 
ered with  the  springing  corn  or  the  waving  wheat; 
the  weeds  had  grown  tall  by  the  way-side.  The 
vanguard  took  advantage  of  all  these  natural  screens, 
as  they  wished  to  be  as  secret  in  their  movements  as 
the  necessity  for  rapidity  should  permit. 

The  first  night  they  went  into  bivouac  with  the 
main  forces  at  a  point  situated  about  twenty-two 
miles  north  of  Richmond;  and  the  next  morning, 
they  arose  from  their  couch  on  the  ground  without 
having  been  aroused  by  the  reveille,  as  the  outposts 
of  the  enemy  were  known  to  be  near  at  hand  and 


LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  83 

watchful  for  any  sign  or  sound  of  a  hostile  army. 
The  vanguard  were  now  ordered  to  wheel  sharply 
to  the  east, — which  proved  to  them  that  they  were 
not  expected  after  all  to  lead  the  way  towards  the 
Rappahannock.  Was  it  then  the  General's  inten- 
tion to  attack  the  right  wing  of  McClellan?  This 
wing  they  knew  vaguely  was  encamped  somewhere 
in  the  region  which  they  were  now  facing. 

A  march  of  a  few  miles  brought  Lieutenant 
Robins  and  his  men  in  sight  of  Hanover  Court- 
House,  the  drowsy  village  which  Patrick  Henry  had 
made  famous  by  his  speech  against  the  Parsons, 
and  which  contained  a  quaint  old  tavern  and  a  few 
colonial  houses  shaded  by  trees  that  had  been 
standing  there  in  the  times  of  the  Revolution.  In 
its  single  street,  they  saw  a  large  detachment  of 
Federal  horses  tied  to  the  fences,  but  all  saddled  so 
that  they  could  be  mounted  at  the  first  alarm. 
Robins  immediately  reported  this  fact  to  General 
Stuart,  who  moved  forward  in  front,  while  Colonel 
Fitzhugh  Lee  was  ordered  to  attack  on  the  flank; 
but  before  either  could  come  in  range  of  the  enemy, 
a  party  of  cavalry  scouts,  they  had  retreated  in  a 
cloud  of  dust  eastward  down  the  road  leading  to 
Old   Church. 

The  vanguard  took  up  the  pursuit  at  top  speed, 
and  at  a  heavily  wooded  spot  known  as  Hawes  Shop 
they  ran  pell  mell  upon  the  Federal  pickets,  whom 


84  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

they  either  captured  or  dispersed.  Not  halting  one 
minute,  they  continued  their  headlong  gallop  until 
they  came  suddenly  in  sight  of  a  large  body  of 
Federal  troopers  blocking  the  highway  with  sabres 
drawn  for  a  charge.  These  troopers  had  their  camp 
at  Old  Church,  and  having  been  alarmed  by  the 
retreating  scouts,  whom  their  commander  had  sent 
to  Hanover  Court-House  to  reconnoitre,  they  had 
advanced  to  ascertain  the  strength  of  the  raiding 
party.  They  were  too  formidable  a  force  for  the 
vanguard  to  attack  alone,  so  they  drew  off  until 
Colonel  W.  H.  F.  Lee  should  reach  the  ground  at 
the  head  of  his  squadrons. 

From  this  point  the  road  ran  through  a  deep 
ravine  down  to  the  banks  of  Tottopotomoi  Creek, 
which  it  crossed  by  a  wooden  bridge.  The  steep 
sides  of  the  highway  were  fringed  with  a  thick 
growth  of  pine  and  laurel. 

On  coming  up,  the  large  Confederate  force  now 
called  into  action  received  the  order,  "Form  fours, 
draw  sabre,  charge."  The  Federals  resisted  only 
for  a  short  time,  as  they  were  outnumbered,  and 
then  wheeling  in  their  tracks,  retired  at  a  gallop 
towards  the  creek,  with  the  Confederates  in  hot 
pursuit;  but  as  the  road  grew  more  narrow  and  the 
woods  on  either  side  more  dense,  Stuart  sounded  a 
halt  for  fear  of  an  overwhelming  attack  from 
ambush.     The  mud-banks  of  the  Tottopotomoi,  over- 


LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  85 


grown  with  tall  weeds  and  scrubby  trees,  were  now 
in  sight.  The  bridge  was  found  to  be  undefended, 
and  Robins  was  directed  to  cross  with  his  vanguard 
and  to  ascertain  whether  the  enemy  had  made  a 
stand  further  on.  Having  passed  over  a  hill,  he 
discovered  a  large  Federal  force  drawn  up  at  a 
point  where  they  would  be  in  position  to  obstruct 
the  Confederates'  advance  towards  Mechanicsville, 
in  which  neighborhood  a  part  of  McClellan's  army 
was  encamped. 

The  vanguard  again  halted  for  support  to  march 
up.  Colonel  W.  H.  F.  Lee  was  soon  on  the  ground, 
and  having  arranged  his  troopers  in  columns  of  four, 
as  in  the  first  brush,  and  with  sabres  drawn,  he 
ordered  the  advance.  As  the  men  galloped  forward, 
yelling  at  the  top  of  their  voices,  the  Federal  skir- 
mishers, hidden  in  the  bushes  on  either  side  of  the 
way,  became  panic  stricken,  and  rushed  out  into 
the  road  at  a  point  where  there  was  an  unoccupied 
interval  between  the  charging  Confederate  squadron 
behind  and  the  vanguard  under  Robins  in  front. 
They  fled  down  the  highway  towards  the  main 
body  of  the  Federal  cavalry,  carrying  Robins  and 
his  men  with  them  as  in  an  irresistible  torrent.  In 
the  general  melee  that  resulted,  this  little  band 
found  themselves  shot  at  with  pistols  and  slashed 
with  sabres  by  the  skirmishers  at  their  back  and 
the  Federal  cavalry  in  their  face;  and  at  the  end  of 


86  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

a  brief  time,  all  except  their  leader  were  wounded 
and  disabled.  Robins  finally  succeeded  in  escaping 
in  the  confusion  by  leaping  his  horse  over  the  fence 
that  bounded  the  road;  and  having  made  a  short 
circuit  through  the  woods,  joined  the  main  body  of 
the  Confederate  pursuers. 

Colonel  Fitzhugh  Lee  now  came  up  to  continue 
the  attack,  which  had  met  with  a  strong  resistance; 
but  in  the  end,  the  Federals  retreated  to  Old  Church; 
and  on  the  Confederates  arriving  there,  withdrew  in 
the  direction  of  McClellan's  main  encampments  on 
the  Chickahominy. 

When  General  Lee  had  sent  Stuart  to  ascertain 
the  defences  of  the  Federal  right  wing,  he  had  or- 
dered him  to  march  as  far  as  Old  Church,  and  hav- 
ing reached  that  place,  to  be  guided  in  his  subse- 
quent movements  by  circumstances.  Stuart  had  now 
gathered  up  all  the  information  that  the  Confederate 
Commander  was  seeking, — he  had  learned  that  the 
Federal  right  wing  had  not  been  spread  out  in  force 
as  far  as  Hanover  Court-House;  and  that  it  was  so 
unprotected  on  this  side  that  Jackson,  coming  down 
from  the  Valley,  could  be  safely  left  to  attack  it 
with  a  view  of  driving  it  back,  to  the  confusion  of 
the  Federal  centre;  which  then  might  be  assaulted 
by  Lee  in  front  with  every  prospect  of  success. 

Should  Stuart  return  by  the  route  by  which  he 
had  come,   which  would  take  him  around  again  in 


LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  87 

front  of  McClellan's  army,  or  should  he  sweep  behind 
that  army,  and  passing  over  the  Chickahominy  river 
by  one  of  the  lower  fords,  join  Lee  at  a  point  south 
of  Richmond? 

It  was  a  momentous  question,  and  in  his  decision, 
Stuart  was  not  influenced  entirely  by  love  of  spec- 
tacular adventure.  He  could  not  cross  the  Pa- 
munkey,  now  in  his  neighborhood,  and  circle  about 
south  of  Fredericksburg,  because  he  had  no  pon- 
toons with  which  to  bridge  this  broad  deep  stream. 
If  he  attempted  to  retreat  to  the  north  of  Hanover 
Court-House,  he  would  run  upon  the  North  Anna, 
now  overflowing  its  banks  from  recent  rains.  If  he 
endeavored  to  pass  as  before  through  Hanover  Court- 
House,  he  would  have  to  defy  a  concentrated  force 
of  Federal  artillery,  cavalry,  and  infantry,  since  the 
alarm  had  been  given  of  his  presence  behind  the 
Federal  lines.  Could  he  avoid  interception?  He 
thought  not. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  prospect  of  a  ride  to  the 
lower  Chickahominy  was  not  an  assuring  one,  for 
he  would  have  to  advance  all  the  way  in  sight  of 
the  smoke  from  McClellan's  camp  fires.  Moreover, 
he  was  aware  that  he  would  have  to  cross  the 
Richmond  and  York  River  Railway,  the  Federal 
main  line  of  communication,  by  which  many  thou- 
sand troops  could,  within  a  few  hours,  be  brought 
down  to  throw  themselves  athwart  his  path.     It  all 


88  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

depended  upon  whether  the  Federal  Commander 
had  been  promptly  informed  of  his  arrival  at  Old 
Church.  Could  there  be  much  room  for  doubt  on 
that  vital  point? 

In  reality,  there  was  barely  one  chance  in  ten  that 
he  would  be  able,  by  rapid  movement,  to  reach  the 
railway  before  the  Federal  troops  could  be  concen- 
trated; but  this  chance  he  determined  to  take  as  of- 
fering the  safer  course  among  the  alternatives  open 
to  him.  Besides,  General  Lee  had  instructed  him  to 
inflict  all  the  damage  he  could  on  the  enemy's  com- 
munications with  West  Point,  and  for  the  first  time 
during  the  expedition,  he  would  have  an  excellent 
opportunity  of  doing  this  so  soon  as  he  came  up  to 
the  railroad. 

He  was  further  confirmed  in  his  decision  by  the 
fact  that  he  was  accompanied  by  several  scouts  who 
were  familiar  with  the  country  to  be  traversed;  above 
all,  the  leader  of  his  vanguard,  Lieutenant  Robins, 
having  been  born  in  the  adjacent  coimty,  had  known 
the  entire  region  from  boyhood. 

Now  began  the  most  adventurous  stage  in  the 
whole  course  of  the  ride,  and  the  troopers  entered 
upon  it  in  a  spirit  of  unrestrained  gayety.  They 
paused  at  Old  Church  just  long  enough  to  burn  all 
the  tents  of  the  Federal  camp  and  to  stuff  their 
haversacks  with  food  from  the  enemy's  stores.  As 
they  moved  along,  the  country  people  flocked  to  the 


LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  89 

roadside,  and  filled  their  outstretched  hands  with 
all  sorts  of  dainties.  To  Stuart,  they  gave  a  bou- 
quet of  beautiful  flowers,  and  begged  him  to  carry 
it  back  to  Richmond  with  him;  which  he  smilingly 
promised  to  do. 

In  conversation  with  his  officers,  he  told  them  that 
he  intended  to  cut  his  way  through,  should  he  be 
opposed  by  either  infantry  or  cavalry;  and  as  his 
squadrons  were  now  behind  the  Federal  lines,  and 
with  reason  too  to  think  that  their  advance  was 
known  to  McClellan,  they  held  themselves  in  readi- 
ness to  charge  on  the  instant.  Their  sabres  were 
kept  drawn  and  their  carbines  unslung.  At  one 
place,  the  cry  arose:  "The  Yankees  are  in  the  rear." 
At  once,  the  sabres  flashed,  fours  were  formed,  and 
the  men  at  command  wheeled  about;  but  not  an 
enemy  was  to  be  seen.  A  roar  of  laughter  swelled 
from  the  ranks,  and  they  went  on  their  way  in  an 
even  gayer  mood  than  before. 

All  along  the  road,  they  passed  wagons  that  had 
been  overturned  and  deserted  and  their  loads  scat- 
tered on  the  ground;  but  they  had  no  time  to  halt 
and  pick  up  the  articles  they  saw.  In  one  spot,  the 
mud  was  so  deep  in  the  roadbed  that  the  two  pieces 
of  artillery  accompanying  them  got  firmly  stalled. 
At  first,  it  was  found  impossible  to  draw  out  one  of 
the  guns;  the  horses  attached  to  it  were  lashed,  the 
dnvers  swore,  but  the  wheels  could  not  be  made  to 
budge. 


90  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

"Why  don't  you  pull  that  gun  out  of  the  mud?" 
cried  the  officer  in  charge,  in  his  impatience. 

"Can't  be  done,  Sir,"  was  the  discouraged  reply. 

"Put  that  keg  of  whiskey  on  the  caisson,"  ordered 
the  officer,  pointing  to  a  keg  in  sight,  "you  men  can 
have  it  if  you  drag  the  gun  out." 

The  keg  was  placed  on  the  caisson;  the  cannoneers 
seized  the  wheels  of  the  gun  carriage;  and  though 
it  was  loaded  down  with  ammunition  as  well  as 
with  the  heavy  gun  barrel  itself,  they  lifted  it  up 
and  placed  it  on  dry  ground;  and  then  the  contents 
of  the  keg  were  generously  distributed  by  the  win- 
ners among  all  who  thirsted  for  a  draft. 

Lieutenant  Robins  and  his  men  were  again  acting 
as  the  vanguard,  which  consisted  now  of  thirty  men, 
who  kept  always  half  a  mile  ahead  of  the  main 
column.  Their  first  objective  was  the  country  road 
running  from  West  Point  to  Richmond,  a  highway 
of  great  military  importance,  as  it  was  skirted  by  a 
line  of  telegraph  wire,  which  was  now  in  the  use  of 
the  Federal  army  on  the  Chickahominy.  Robins 
had  been  ordered  to  cut  this  wire;  and  hardly  had 
he  done  so,  when  a  Federal  wagon  loaded  with  re- 
volvers was  overtaken  by  the  men  and  captured. 
While  they  were  leisurely  making  their  choice  of 
these  fine  weapons,  a  small  body  of  Federal  troop- 
ers came  in  sight,  but  immediately  halted  when  they 
discovered  the  presence  of  the  Confederate  cavalry- 


LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  91 

men.  Drawing  their  sabres,  they  arranged  their 
ranks  for  a  charge;  but  as  their  opponents  had 
mounted  at  once  and  offered  a  resolute  front,  and 
there  was  a  chance  too  that  other  Confederate 
soldiers  were  close  at  hand,  the  Federal  officer  hesi- 
tated to  sound  the  advance.  Both  of  the  bands 
stood  with  their  carbines  and  sabres  prepared  for 
immediate  action,  and  yet  each  was  reluctant  to 
take  the  first  step,  in  their  apprehension  of  a  super- 
ior force  behind.  The  Federal  commander  was  wise 
in  showing  such  prudence,  for  within  the  space  of  a 
few  minutes  a  Confederate  squadron  approached  at 
a  gallop,  and  the  Federal  troopers,  outnumbered, 
quickly  retreated  down  the  road. 

But  not  before  one  of  them  had  been  dispatched 
to  Tunstall's  station  on  the  railway  nearby  to  warn 
the  guards  at  that  place  of  the  advance  of  the  Con- 
federate cavalrymen.  The  man  was  so  alarmed 
that,  instead  of  stopping  at  the  station  in  obedience 
to  his  orders,  he  passed  by  it  at  the  top  of  his 
horse's  speed,  making  for  the  protection  of  the  gun- 
boats at  the  White  House  on  the  Pamunkey.  As 
he  rushed  by,  one  of  the  company  detailed  to  defend 
the  station  called  out  to  him: 

"What's  to  pay?" 

"Hell's  to  pay,"  was  the  reply,  as  the  trooper  dis- 
appeared behind  a  bend  in  the  highway. 

Lieutenant  Robins,  at  the  head  of  his  squad  of 
gay  and  adventurous  cavalrymen,  continued  to  lead 


92  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

the  way.  They  were  now  only  five  miles  distant 
from  McClellan's  nearest  encampment,  and  if  in- 
formation had  already  reached  him  of  the  raid,  his 
first  step  naturally  would  have  been  to  transport  a 
large  body  of  troops  by  rail  to  Turnstall's  to  head 
off  and  destroy  the  Confederate  force.  But  Stuart 
was  not  harassed  by  the  thought  of  such  intercep- 
tion; he  was  really  debating  in  his  own  mind 
whether  he  should  not  march  straight  for  the  White 
House  and  burn  the  immense  accumulation  of  mili- 
tary stores  there,  after  driving  off  the  six  hundred 
men  in  charge  of  them  and  defying  the  gunboats  in 
the  river. 

He  wisely  decided  that  it  would  be  too  hazardous 
for  him  to  undertake  such  a  venture  in  the  short 
time  at  his  disposal.  Robins  was  ordered  to  push 
on  to  Turnstall's,  while  the  squadrons  were  to 
follow  rapidly  in  his  track.  As  soon  as  the  van- 
guard sighted  the  station,  they  were  drawn  up  in 
ranks  of  four,  and  at  the  word  of  command,  charged 
down  on  it,  with  yells  that  rang  through  the  for- 
ests. No  resistance  was  encountered;  indeed,  the 
Federal  soldiers  were  lounging  about  the  place  with- 
out the  slightest  expectation  of  an  attack.  Only 
one  man  escaped  capture;  he  had  rushed  for  his 
musket,  but  desisted  when  a  Confederate  trooper 
waved  his  sabre  over  his  head  and  sternly  ordered 
him  to  surrender;  which  he  did;  but  afterwards  got 


LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  93 

away  by  gliding  under  the  bridge  in  the  confusion 
and  dashing  away  to  the  woods. 

When  all  the  Federals  had  been  secured,  the  van- 
guard busied  themselves  with  felling  a  big  tree 
across  the  rails  in  the  hope  of  stopping  any  train 
which  might  be  passing  the  station.  While  they 
were  so  employed,  the  main  body  arrived  on  the 
ground,  and  all  were  about  to  lend  a  hand  to  place 
additional  obstructions,  when  the  rumbling  of  an 
approaching  train  was  heard;  the  order  was  quickly 
given  to  level  their  muskets,  but  the  engineer,  in- 
stead of  being  intimidated  by  the  sight  of  the  tree 
lying  across  the  track,  and  of  a  whole  squadron  of 
men  ready  to  fire,  turned  the  steam  on  at  full  head, 
and  swept  by  at  his  highest  rate  of  speed.  A  fusil- 
lade greeted  the  huddled-up  Federal  soldiers  aboard, 
killing  and  wounding  a  large  number  of  them;  but 
the  prostrate  tree  was  knocked  clear  of  the  rails 
and  the  train  rushed  beyond  the  bridge  and  dis- 
appeared. 

The  Confederates  now  directed  their  attention  to 
burning  this  structure,  in  which  they  had  been  inter- 
rupted, and  to  sending  up  in  flames  the  freight  cars 
standing  at  the  station  and  numerous  wagons  parked 
in  a  nearby  field,  all  loaded  with  different  kinds  of 
supplies  for  the  Federal  army.  The  telegraph  line 
was  cut  and  the  rails  torn  up  for  some  distance. 
The  whole  day  was  spent  in  carrying  out  this  de- 
struction. 


94  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

The  troopers  were  now  very  much  fatigued.  They 
had  not  rested  since  they  left  Old  Church;  and  their 
only  food  had  been  obtained  from  the  country 
people.  The  horses  too  were  very  much  exhausted; 
the  advance  had  been  so  rapid  that  they  had  been 
unable  to  crop  by  the  wayside;  and  as  there  had 
been  no  halt,  they  had  never  been  turned  into  the 
pastures  to  forage.  But  the  position  of  the  raiding 
squadrons  was  now  too  precarious  to  permit  of  their 
remaining  any  longer  where  they  were;  it  might 
even  turn  out  that  they  had  already  delayed  their 
departure  too  many  hours;  Boots  and  Saddles  was 
sounded;  and  the  troopers  fell  in  promptly  on  the 
jaded  horses. 

Lieutenant  Robins  again  received  the  order  to  lead 
the  vanguard.  This  body  was  directed  to  ride  some 
distance  ahead  of  the  main  column  and  to  await 
its  arrival  at  the  little  village  of  New  Baltimore, 
several  miles  south  of  Tunstall's  and  on  the  main 
road  running  to  the  ford  in  the  Chickahominy  by 
which  Stuart  proposed  to  cross  the  river.  On  reach- 
ing this  village,  Lieutenant  Robins  and  his  men 
found  there  a  store  which  had  been  erected  by  a 
camp  follower  of  McClellan's  army  with  the  view 
of  profiting  by  the  trade  of  the  numerous  soldiers 
passing  between  the  encampments  near  Richmond 
and  the  White  House  on  the  Pamunkey.  This  store 
was  stocked  with  such  an  assortment  of  delicacies 


LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  95 

as  to  make  the  hungry  Confederates  feel  as  if  a  full 
grocery  had  been  suddenly  thrown  open  to  them; 
there  were  figs,  pickles,  lemons,  preserves,  cakes, 
biscuits,  sausages,  canned  meats,  and  other  articles  of 
food  equally  satisfying  to  a  starved  appetite.  Little 
was  left  of  the  original  contents  of  the  store  when 
the  squadrons  behind  drew  rein  in  the  hamlet. 

At  Talleysville,  a  halt  was  made  to  allow  the 
main  body  three  hours  of  rest.  They  learned  here 
from  scouts  that  there  was  an  interval  of  only  four 
miles  between  them  and  a  large  force  in  pursuit;  and 
the  latter  would  have  caught  up  had  they  continued 
their  march  after  darkness  fell;  but  this  they  con- 
sidered it  too  dangerous  for  them  to  do;  and  Stuart, 
setting  out  for  the  Chickahominy  at  midnight  had, 
by  the  morning,  left  them  well  in  the  rear. 

Lieutenant  Robins  and  his  band  still  led  the  way. 
There  was  now  a  full  moon  shining  and  its  rays 
lighted  up  the  road  as  they  trotted  along.  It  was 
quite  possible  for  the  enemy  to  have  already  pushed 
a  large  force  across  the  path  to  the  Chickahominy 
which  they  were  now  pursuing;  and,  therefore,  it 
was  not  an  unprovoked  imagination  on  their  part 
that  caused  them  to  see  in  every  ghostly  bush  a 
blue-coated  sentinel;  and  in  every  jagged  tree  a 
lonely  vidette. 

Day  was  just  streaking  the  eastern  sky  when  the 
vanguard  halted  at  the  ford.    To  their  acute  dis- 


96  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

appointment,  they  found  the  waters  of  the  stream  in 
flood,  and  there  did  not  seem  to  them  to  be  any 
prospect  of  the  squadron  effecting  a  crossing  at  that 
point.  They  waited  for  Colonel  W.  H.  F.  Lee  to 
come  up,  as  his  regiment  was  the  one  in  front.  On 
his  arrival,  the  question  arose:  Should  they  attempt 
to  swim  the  river  in  spite  of  the  high  water?  As 
the  line  of  crossing  from  bank  to  bank  was  some- 
what up  stream,  the  horses  would  be  brought  di- 
rectly against  the  rushing  current  so  soon  as  they 
started  for  the  other  side.  In  the  face  of  this  ob- 
vious peril,  Colonel  Lee  spurred  his  horse  into  the 
flood;  but  after  getting  over  with  the  utmost  diffi- 
culty, returned  to  pronounce  the  passage  impractic- 
able for  the  main  body;  and  especially  for  the  two 
pieces  of  artillery.  Notwithstanding  this  conclusion, 
some  seventy-five  horsemen  succeeded  in  reaching 
the  farther  shore. 

In  vain,  an  attempt  was  made  to  bridge  the  river 
by  felling  large  trees  which  grew  on  the  bank;  the 
terrific  current  carried  them  away  so  soon  as  they 
fell  into  the  water. 

"What  do  you  think  of  the  situation,  Colonel 
Lee?"  said  a  member  of  Stuart's  personal  staff,  who 
had  ridden  up. 

"Well,  Captain,"  he  replied,  "I  think  we  are 
caught." 

Stuart,  who  was  now  on  the  ground,  refused  to 
admit  that  he  was  entrapped.    Learning  that  there 


LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  97 

was  a  bridge  about  a  mile  down  stream,  he  set  his 
whole  force  in  motion;  but  on  arriving  there,  found 
that  the  wooden  part  of  the  structure  had  been  car- 
ried away  by  floods,  and  that  only  the  stone  abut- 
ments remained.  There  was  a  distance  of  forty  feet 
between  them,  and  in  this  narrow  bed  the  stream 
rushed  along  as  in  a  mill  race.  A  boat  was  found 
tied  to  the  bank,  and  by  means  of  a  rope  it  was 
placed  and  kept  in  the  centre  of  this  speeding  water. 
Planks  were  let  down  to  the  boat  from  either  abut- 
ment until  a  footbridge  was  constructed  from  pier  to 
pier,  resting  on  the  boat  as  the  middle  pier. 

Removing  the  saddles,  the  troopers  swam  the 
horses  across,  while  they  themselves  passed  over 
this  improvised  structure.  But  how  was  the  artil- 
lery to  be  got  to  the  other  side?  The  bridge  was 
not  strong  enough  to  sustain  the  weight  of  the  two 
field  pieces.  Stuart  ordered  his  men  to  bring  the 
beams  from  an  old  barn  standing  in  an  adjacent  field 
and  to  adjust  their  ends  to  either  abutment,  and 
then  to  cover  these  supports  with  planks  resting 
crosswise.  While  this  work  was  being  done,  he  was 
not  content  to  look  on,  but  at  every  stage,  gave  his 
personal  aid,  singing  as  he  did  so  as  gayly  as  if 
there  was  not  the  smallest  danger  of  a  large  Federal 
force  coming  up  at  any  moment  and  attacking  his 
rear. 

The  artillery  having  been  brought  over,  the  whole 
body  of  cavalry  was  soon  again  in    motion.    They 


98  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

now  found  themselves  on  an  island.  There  was  no 
bridge  over  the  second  arm  of  the  river,  but  men 
and  cannon  were  able  to  pass  the  ford  without  diffi- 
culty or  delay.  The  road  between  the  two  branches 
of  the  stream,  and  beyond,  was  full  of  mud,  and 
the  mules,  on  which  the  prisoners  were  riding,  were 
constantly  stumbling,  and  many  of  them  rolled  over 
in  the  mud  holes.  This  made  it  very  uncomfortable 
for  the  captives,  and  at  last,  one  of  them  exclaimed: 

"How  many  Chickenhominies  are  there  in  this 
confounded  country?" 

In  the  course  of  the  bridge  building,  Lieutenant 
Robins  and  his  squad  had  been  acting  as  the  rear 
guard.  From  a  hill  on  the  north  bank  of  the  river, 
they  had  been  keeping  a  close  watch  for  the  ex- 
pected approach  of  the  enemy.  So  soon  as  the 
artillery  and  the  main  body  had  crossed,  the  rear 
guard  drew  back  to  the  stream,  and  when  they  had 
passed  over,  they  set  the  bridge  on  fire  by  means  of 
a  large  quantity  of  dry  fence  rails  which  they  had 
piled  up  on  the  planks.  They  had  first  tied  their 
horses  behind  a  thick  screen  of  trees,  but  while  the 
bridge  was  burning,  they  themselves,  with  their 
leader,  stood  or  were  seated  in  the  open  road. 
Hardly  had  the  timbers  fallen  in,  when  a  shot  rang 
through  the  swamp,  and  a  small  twig,  cut  by  a  bul- 
let from  the  tree  overhead,  fell  into  the  lap  of  Lieu- 
tenant Robins,   who   was  seated   under  its  boughs. 


LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  99 

The  shot  had  come  from  a  soldier  belonging  to  a 
detachment  of  Federal  Lancers  which  was  in  pur- 
suit; the  bridge  being  down,  they  could  not  advance 
any  further;  and  they  soon  turned  back  to  rejoin 
their  main  army. 

As  the  post  of  danger  in  the  beginning  of  the  ride 
had  been  in  front,  so  now  it  was  in  the  rear;  and 
until  Stuart  came  to  James  river,  this  post  was 
filled  by  Lieutenant  Robins  and  his  men.  Crossing 
the  second  arm  of  the  Chickahominy,  they  had 
hurried  forward  until  they  had  found  themselves 
once  more  in  touch  with  the  main  body. 

Of  the  thirty-five  miles  which  had  now  to  be 
traversed  before  Richmond  could  be  reached,  about 
twenty  lay  within  the  lines  of  the  enemy.  For  thirty- 
six  hours  all  the  men  had  been  almost  continuously 
in  the  saddle,  with  few  opportunities  to  refresh  them- 
selves with  sleep  or  food.  Not  far  from  James  river, 
they  halted  for  a  short  time  to  turn  their  horses  out 
to  graze  in  a  clover  field,  while  they  devoured  the 
rations  picked  up  by  their  foragers  among  the  farm- 
houses. In  spite  of  their  fatigue,  all  felt  in  a  state 
of  elation  over  the  successful  course  of  the  raid; 
many  a  humorous  anecdote  was  told,  and  many  a 
joke  was  cracked  by  the  wags  among  the  troopers. 

So  soon  as  night  came  on,  the  march  was  resumed. 
Once  more  Lieutenant  Robins  and  his  men  formed 
the    vanguard.    Although    their    members    had    so 


100  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

lately  rested,  yet  there  were  few  among  them  who 
were  not  overcome  with  drowsiness;  some,  indeed, 
were  so  overwhelmed  by  sleep  that  they  almost  fell 
from  their  saddles.  The  road  they  were  marching 
along  was  close  to  James  river,  which,  in  this  part 
of  it,  was  occupied  by  a  fleet  of  Federal  war  vessels. 
The  moon  was  now  riding  high  in  the  sky,  and  its 
light,  shining  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  disclosed 
the  presence  of  the  gunboats.  They  had  but  a  few 
minutes  before  noted  a  large  number  of  masts,  when 
the  challenge  rang  out: 

"Who  goes  there?" 

The  men  were  wide  awake  in  an  instant;  sabres 
were  drawn;  and  ranks  of  four  formed  to  repel  an 
attack;  but  it  was  quickly  found  out  that  a  Confed- 
erate and  not  a  Federal  vidette  had  raised  the  cry. 
Once  more,  the  vanguard  was  safe  within  the  Con- 
federate lines;  and  they  were  soon  followed  by  the 
main  force. 

In  the  course  of  this  romantic  raid  by  Stuart's 
squadrons,  only  one  Confederate  soldier  lost  his  life; 
not  one  of  his  men  was  taken  prisoner;  and  only  a 
few  were  wounded.  They  brought  out  one  hundred 
and  sixty-five  captives,  two  hundred  and  sixty  horses 
and  mules,  and  a  considerable  quantity  of  small 
arms.  Above  all,  they  secured  the  information  that 
McClellan's  left  wing  was  open  to  assault;  and  that 
Jackson   could   safely   launch   his   troops   against   it 


LIEUTENANT  ROBINS  101 

with  the  view  of  throwing  it  into  confusion  and 
pushing  it  back  upon  the  centre  of  the  Federal  army. 
The  ability  of  fifteen  hundred  men  to  ride  com- 
pletely around  one  hundred  and  thirty-four  thousand, 
not  massed  but  strung  out  in  a  long  line,  and  to  ride 
too  within  five  miles  of  their  principal  encampments, 
had  the  effect  of  shaking  the  confidence  of  the  North 
in  the  vigilance  and  promptitude  of  the  Federal 
Commander,  and  this  was  doubtless  one  of  the  in- 
fluences that  led  him,  later  on,  to  retreat  to  the 
protection  of  his  gunboats  anchored  in  James  river. 


CHAPTER  V 
The  Marion  of  the  West 


CHAPTER  V 
THE  MARION  OF  THE  WEST 

General  John  H.  Morgan  was  perhaps  the 
most  romantic  of  all  the  conspicuous  figures  associ- 
ated with  the  Confederate  armies  beyond  the  Alle- 
ghanies.  No  other  officer  of  those  armies  was  the 
hero  of  more  amazing  adventures  or  evinced  more 
dauntless  courage  or  more  perfect  self-possession  in 
hazardous  situations;  he  was  at  once  the  Western 
Mosby  and  the  Western  Stuart,  the  daring  partisan 
and  the  dashing  cavalry  leader;  or  as  his  admiring 
comrades  liked  to  characterize  him,  the  Marion  of 
the  West,  whose  exploits  rivaled  those  of  the  famous 
"Swamp  Fox"  of  the  Revolution. 

The  numerous  tales  of  bravery  which  are  recorded 
of  him  illustrate  at  once  his  complete  imperturb- 
ability in  the  most  perilous  circumstances,  and  his 
astounding  resourcefulness  in  escaping  unharmed 
from  them. 

During  the  early  occupation  of  Nashville  by  the 
Federals  under  General  McCook,  it  occurred  to  Mor- 
gan, at  that  time  simply  a  captain,  that  he  might, 
by  a  ruse,  decoy  a  large  body  of  Federal  troops  into 
an  ambush.  Disguising  himself  as  a  rough  farmer, 
and  accompanied  by  one  of  his  comrades,  who  as- 


106  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

sumed  the  like  part,  he  drove  a  wagon  to  the  city 
loaded  down  with  bags  of  meal  which  he  had  bought 
of  a  country  miller.  Having  found  out  beforehand 
the  name  of  the  hotel  where  General  McCook  ate 
his  meals,  he  stopped  his  wagon  in  front  of  it,  and 
entered  as  if  for  the  purpose  of  getting  dinner,  but 
really  for  the  purpose  of  talking  with  the  Federal 
Commander  if  he  should  happen  to  have  come  in. 
Fortunately,  the  General  in  uniform  was  already 
seated  at  one  of  the  tables,  and  Morgan  perceived 
who  he  was  at  a  glance. 

"Is  this  heah  Gineral  McCook,"  said  he,  when 
he  had,  with  exaggerated  clumsiness,  shambled  into 
the  chair  at  his  side. 

"That's  my  name,"  replied  the  General  cordially. 

"Wall,  Gineral,"  said  Morgan,  in  slow  and  drawl- 
ing tones,  "if  thar's  no  Secesh  'bout,  I've  got  sum'- 
pen  ter  tell  you  right  heah.  I  live  up  close  by 
Burk's  Mills  in  the  middle  of  a  nest  of  red  hot 
Seceshers  and  they  swar'  yer  sojers  shant  hev  a 
speck  o'  meal  if  they  starve  for  it.  But,  Gineral,  I 
got  a  wagon  load  of  meal  ground,  and  I  hev'  brung 
it  down  heah  ter  day,  and  it's  now  out  thar  in  the 
street  and  you  kin  hev  it  if  yer  want  it." 

General  McCook,  pleased  by  the  loyal  and  help- 
ful spirit  of  the  farmer,  thanked  him  warmly  for  his 
generosity,  and  then  graciously  added: 

"Take  the  meal,  my  friend,  to  the  Commissary. 
He  will  pay  you  for  it  in  gold  and  silver." 


THE  MARION  OF  THE  WEST  107 

Morgan  quietly  finished  his  dinner;  then  rising 
from  his  seat  as  clumsily  as  he  had  sat  down, 
bowed  awkwardly  to  the  General  and  shambled  out 
of  the  room. 

After  a  half  hour,  he  entered  the  Federal  Head- 
quarters, where,  he  was  told,  General  McCook  would 
then  be  found. 

"Gineral,"  he  said,  "can't  yer  send  one  hundred 
and  fifty  men  up  thar  to  the  neberhood  of  Burk's 
Mills?  I'll  guide  'em  into  that  nest  er  traitors  and 
seceshers;  and  they  kin  capture  too  a  mighty  big 
sight  er  meal." 

Again  General  McCook  thanked  him  very  heartily 
for  his  patriotic  zeal. 

"The  men,  my  friend,"  he  said  emphatically,  "shall 
certainly  be  sent.  What  day  shall  we  choose?  Let 
the  appointment  be  as  early  as  possible.  I  suppose 
this  is  a  busy  time  with  you  farmers,  but  when  one's 
country  calls,  the  plough  itself  must  stop  in  the  fur- 
row." 

After  stoutly  asserting  his  willingness  to  let  every- 
thing go  to  ruin  from  neglect  rather  than  lose  the 
chance  of  seizing  those  "seceshers,"  the  loyal  farmer 
named  the  day  and  hour  for  the  rendezvous.  When 
the  Federal  soldiers  reached  the  spot  thus  agreed 
upon,  they  were  confronted  by  Captain  Morgan  at 
the  head  of  so  many  Confederate  troopers  that  they 
surrendered  without  firing  a  shot. 


108  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

On  another  occasion,  Morgan  was  returning  on 
horseback  from  a  raid  alone  when  he  saw  ahead  of 
him,  in  front  of  a  house  by  the  roadside,  a  Federal 
officer;  and  he  inferred  from  sounds  overheard  by 
him  that  there  were  several  soldiers  inside  the  build- 
ing. He  suspected  that  these  men  belonged  to  the 
Federal  picket  line,  and  that,  without  permission, 
they  had  left  their  posts.  Being  dressed  in  the  full 
uniform  of  a  higher  Federal  officer  himself,  he  boldly 
rode  up  to  the  real  Federal  officer  and  peremptorily 
charged  him  and  his  comrades  with  deliberate  neglect 
of  duty. 

"Give  me  your  pistol,"  he  sternly  commanded. 

The  officer  reluctantly  complied. 

"Now  order  the  men  in  the  house  to  come  out 
one  by  one  and  deliver  up  their  arms.  I  shall  go 
with  you  to  headquarters  and  report  you  for  aban- 
doning your  post." 

Just  as  the  last  soldier  handed  over  his  pistol  and 
carbine,  a  member  of  Morgan's  band  came  up  with 
four  prisoners;  six  were  then  added  to  that  number; 
and  the  ten  were  marched  to  a  camp  within  the 
Confederate  lines. 

Another  story  is  told  of  Morgan  and  a  telegraph 
operator  at  Lebanon,  Kentucky,  who  was  employed 
by  the  Federals,  for,  at  the  time  of  the  incident, 
that  town  was  in  their  possession.  The  operator 
had  just  forwarded  to  Nashville  a  telegram  received 


THE  MARION  OF  THE  WEST  109 

from  Louisville  ordering  the  transfer  to  the  latter 
city  of  all  the  prisoners  of  Morgan's  command  re- 
cently captured,  as,  at  any  hour,  the  Confederate 
partisan  might  make  a  dash  for  Nashville  and  carry 
them  off.  This  suggestion  caused  the  operator  to 
feel  very  uncomfortable,  as  he  afterwards  related. 

"Who  knows,"  he  exclaimed  to  himself,  "but  that 
guerrilla  may  pounce  like  a  hawk  on  me  too.  If  I 
only  had  him  here,  wouldn't  I  put  an  end  to  his 
villainy!" 

Hearing  the  sound  of  a  horse's  hoofs  on  the  road 
outside,  he  went  to  the  window  to  find  out  who  the 
rider  was.  A  man  dressed  in  a  butternut  suit  and 
wearing  a  shabby  slouched  hat  had  just  dismounted 
and  was  tying  his  horse  to  a  fence  near  the  door. 
He  soon  entered  the  house. 

"What's  the  news?"  he  asked  in  drawling  ac- 
cents that  seemingly  revealed  little  interest  in  his 
own  question. 

"No  news,"  was  the  curt  reply  of  the  operator, 
who,  with  a  yawn,  sat  down  again  at  his  instru- 
ment. 

The  stranger  leisurely  picked  up  a  copy  of  the 
Louisville  Journal  which  lay  on  a  desk  at  his  right 
hand. 

"John  Morgan  is  raiding  again,  I  see,"  he  re- 
marked as  if  speaking  to  himself,  "what  a  pity  that 
man  cannot  be  caught!" 


110  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

The  words  seemed  to  strike  a  passionate  chord  in 
the  operator's  breast,  for  he  jumped  up  from  his 
seat,  and  walking  backwards  and  forwards  across 
the  room  in  a  state  of  vindictive  rage,  almost 
shouted  out: 

"Yes,  the  scoundrel,  the  villain!  If  I  only  had 
him  here,  I'd  blow  his  brains  out  this  very  moment! 
Just  let  him  enter  that  door  and  he  is  a  dead  man!" 

The  operator  made  a  furious  gesture,  as  if  he 
were  burning,  not  only  to  kill  the  partisan  chief, 
but  also  to  mangle  and  mutilate  his  body  beyond 
all  chance  of  recognition. 

The  stranger  quietly  replaced  the  paper  on  the 
top  of  the  desk;  then  rose  from  his  seat,  and  stop- 
ping in  front  of  the  operator, — who,  fuming  and 
sputtering,  was  still  striding  up  and  down  the  room 
like  a  lunatic  shut  up  in  a  cage, — said  to  him  in  his 
gentlest  voice,  as  he  held  out  towards  him  a  pistol 
which  he  had  taken  from  his  hip  pocket: 

"I  am  John  Morgan.     Now  execute  your  threat." 

The  operator  stared  at  him  aghast,  and  then  in  a 
state  almost  of  collapse  from  sheer  fright  at  the 
sound  of  that  dreaded  name,  stammered  out: 

"I,  I — didn't  know — I  hadn't  any  idea — that  you 
were  Colonel  Morgan,  Sir — indeed,  Sir,  I  didn't — I 
beg  pardon,  Sir,  ten  thousand  times,   Sir." 

The  man  as  he  spoke  kept  backing  away,  with 
his  hands  held  out  in  the  most  deprecating  manner, 


THE  MARION  OF  THE  WEST  111 

until  he  found  himself  squarely  against  the  wall. 
His  face  was  as  pallid  and  his  voice  as  tremulous 
as  if  he  expected  to  be  shot  at  once. 

"Be  quick,"  said  Morgan,  looking  at  him  sternly 
and  contemptuously,  "I  have  a  message  for  Louis- 
ville to  dictate.  If  you  falsify  it,  your  life  will  be 
the  forfeit." 

The  operator  hastened  to  reseat  himself  at  the 
instrument,  a  picture  of  crestfallen  submissiveness; 
nor  were  his  apprehensions  lessened  by  the  thought 
of  the  cocked  pistol  which  Morgan  held  to  his  head 
while  repeating,  word  by  word,  the  misleading  mes- 
sage which  he  wished  to  be  forwarded.  When  it 
had  been  dispatched,  with  a  promptness  never 
before  surpassed  in  that  office,  he  said: 

"Now,  let  me  have  at  once  all  the  telegrams  that 
you  have  sent  or  received  during  the  last  twenty- 
four  hours." 

The  operator  hastily  gathered  them  together  and 
obsequiously  placed  them  in  Morgan's  hands;  who 
read  them  with  close  attention.  Having  given  the 
operator  a  few  stern  words  of  warning  to  hold  his 
tongue  in  the  future,  Morgan  left  the  room,  mounted 
his  horse,  and  quietly  rode  away. 

One  of  the  most  audacious  incidents  recorded  of 
Morgan  is  the  following.  Accompanied  by  a  Con- 
federate officer,  both  disguised  by  Federal  uniforms, 
he  was  making,  with  a  dozen  prisoners,  for  the  pro- 


112  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

tection  of  the  Confederate  lines.  Suddenly  he  found 
himself  facing  a  body  of  two  thousand  blue-coats. 

"Halt,"  cried  their  commander,  as  he  rode  for- 
ward, "give  the  countersign." 

"Countersign!"  exclaimed  Morgan,  assuming  an 
air  of  indignation,  "what  do  you  mean  by  demand- 
ing the  countersign  of  an  officer  of  my  rank?  Order 
your  companies  to  fall  apart  so  as  to  give  room  for 
the  passage  of  my  men." 

The  Federal  prisoners  with  Morgan,  instead  of 
informing  on  him  at  once,  silently  entered  into  the 
spirit  of  his  critical  situation,  as  they  were  curious 
to  see  how  far  his  ingenuity  could  assist  him  to 
escape.  They  did  not  look  upon  this  conduct  as 
treasonable  because  they  were  sure  they  could  stop 
him  should  there  be  any  prospect  of  his  really 
getting  away.  Just  as  if  they  were  acting  as  his 
escort,  they  followed  him  and  his  Confederate  com- 
rade, without  a  word,  between  the  two  long  files 
of  Federal  soldiers,  and  were  careful  to  suppress  all 
signs  of  their  amusement  over  the  deceptive  part 
which  they  themselves  were  playing  for  the  moment. 
At  one  point  in  the  path  of  the  little  cavalcade, 
several  of  the  Federal  officers  stood  so  far  out  as 
to  block  their  progress.  "Move  up,"  cried  Morgan 
impatiently,  "you  are  no  better  than  deserters. 
Morgan  will  catch  you  yet." 

So  soon  as  he  and  his  fellow  Confederate  reached 
the  last  soldier  in  their  passage  between  the  files, 


THE  MARION  OF  THE  WEST  113 

they  turned  and  waved  their  hands  to  the  prison- 
ers; and  before  they  could  be  either  stopped  or  fired 
upon,  leaped  a  fence  and  vanished  in  a  body  of 
thick  woods  that  grew  close  at  hand. 

In  his  numerous  raids,  Morgan  was  always  ac- 
companied by  a  skillful  telegraph  operator,  who 
carried  his  instrument  behind  his  saddle.  On  one 
occasion,  it  was  very  important  for  him  to  find  out 
whether  there  were  any  Federal  troops  at  Louis- 
ville who  could  be  transported  in  a  hurry  to  Bowling 
Green  to  reinforce  the  large  body  stationed  there, 
should  this  become  necessary  as  the  only  means  of 
intercepting  him  and  his  men  while  scouring  the 
country  behind  the  Federal  lines.  General  Boyle 
was  in  command  at  Louisville,  and  General  Granger 
at  Bowling  Green.  Morgan  advanced  without  in- 
terference to  a  station  situated  on  the  main  railway 
joining  the  two  cities.  His  operator  was  there 
ordered  to  attach  his  instrument  to  the  wires  and 
to  put  himself  in  direct  communication  with  Gen- 
eral Boyle;  Boyle  was  then  informed,  in  a  message 
sent  in  the  name  of  General  Granger,  that  Morgan 
had  been  seen  in  the  neighborhood  of  Bowling 
Green;  and  that  there  was  immediate  danger  of  his 
attacking  that  town.  How  many  troops  could 
Boyle  dispatch  at  the  end  of  the  next  few  hours  to 
reinforce  Granger? 

"There  are  no  troops  in  Louisville  who  can  be 
made  at  once  available,"  was  the  prompt  reply. 


114  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

"Are  there  troops  elsewhere  who  could  be  sent  to 
Bowling  Green?  If  so,  where  are  they  now?  How 
soon  could  they  be  brought  up  to  strengthen  that 
town's  defenses?" 

Boyle,  in  his  answer  to  this  second  telegram, 
named  the  places  where  troops  were  then  stationed; 
stated  their  exact  number;  and  calculated  the  time 
within  which  they  could  be  transported  to  Bowling 
Green. 

Having  received  this  explicit  and  comprehensive 
reply,  Morgan  sent  off  his  final  telegram,  in  which 
he  thanked  General  Boyle  for  giving  him  so  much 
valuable  information  and  praised  him  as  "a  very 
smart  boy."  This  message  was  signed  by  him  with 
his  own  name. 


CHAPTER  VI 
Morgan  Crosses  the  Ohio 


CHAPTER  VI 

MORGAN  CROSSES  THE  OHIO 

THE  boldest  of  General  Morgan's  exploits  was 
his  raid  beyond  the  Ohio  river  in  1863.  During 
that  year,  he  was  directed  by  General  Bragg,  who 
was  hard  pressed  by  General  Rosecranz,  to  set  out 
with  a  considerable  body  of  troops  towards  Louis- 
ville, as  a  threatened  attack  on  that  city  would  be 
sure  to  create  a  diversion  in  favor  of  the  Confeder- 
ate army,  now  falling  back  through  Tennessee. 
Colonel  Basil  Duke,  a  soldier  as  intrepid  and  as 
enterprising  in  spirit  as  Morgan  himself,  was  chosen 
to  be  the  second  in  command.  As  the  men  started 
northward,  they  sang  in  concert: 

"Here's  a  health  to  Duke  and  Morgan, 
Drink  it  down. 
Here's  a  health  to  Duke  and  Morgan, 
Down,  boys,  down,  drink  it  down." 

Breaking  through  the  fierce  opposition  at  the 
crossing  of  the  Cumberland  and  defying  the  Federal 
cavalrymen  gathering  in  his  rear,  Morgan  advanced 
rapidly  towards  the  Ohio  river.  On  the  fourth  of 
July,  he  encountered  several  companies  of  Michigan 
troopers. 


118  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

"Surrender"  was  the  laconic  and  peremptory  mes- 
sage which  he  sent  to  the  Federal  commander. 

"I  shall  not  lower  my  flag  on  Independence 
Day,"  was  the  stout  reply. 

In  the  battle  which  at  once  followed,  Morgan 
lost  one  hundred  men  either  killed  or  wounded,  and 
was  forced  to  make  a  wide  detour  in  order  to  shake 
off  the  clutch  of  his  gallant  foe.  In  the  next  skir- 
mish, his  brother,  who  was  still  a  mere  boy,  the 
favorite  of  all  his  comrades  and  rash  and  brave  to 
the  last  fibre,  was  left  a  corpse  on  the  field,  to  the 
poignant  grief  of  the  whole  command. 

Would  Morgan  halt  on  the  bank  of  the  Ohio  at 
a  point  about  forty  miles  west  of  Louisville,  for 
which  he  was  making,  or  would  he  cross  it,  with 
the  intention  of  pushing  his  raid  into  the  States  of 
Indiana  and  Ohio,  and  at  the  end  coming  back  into 
Kentucky  by  fording  the  river  east  of  Cincinnati? 
This  was  a  perilous  enterprise  which  had  only  a 
bare  chance  of  success;  but  for  this  very  reason,  it 
appealed  all  the  more  irresistibly  to  the  intrepid 
partisan  who  now  decided  to  undertake  it. 

As  he  drew  near  to  the  Ohio,  he  sent  a  company 
ahead  to  capture  two  steamers  which  were  lying  in 
the  stream  at  the  point  where  he  had  planned  to 
cross;  and  on  his  own  arrival  there,  he  found  these 
boats  with  steam  up  and  ready  to  carry  his  men 
over.     There  was  such  a  heavy  fog  prevailing  that 


MORGAN  CROSSES  THE  OHIO  119 

the  other  shore  was  entirely  hidden  from  view;  but 
fearing  lest  the  Federal  cavalry  in  pursuit  of  him 
should  appear  at  any  minute,  he  marched  his  troops 
on  board  in  spite  of  the  mist.  Before  the  ropes, 
however,  could  be  cast  off,  there  came  the  roar  of 
a  cannon  and  the  rattle  of  musketry  from  the 
Indiana  side.  The  fog  now  lifted  and  a  few  shots 
from  one  of  his  Parrott  guns  caused  the  Federal 
militia,  which  had  done  the  firing,  to  skurry  away 
to  a  wooded  hill  in  the  rear. 

The  transfer  of  Morgan's  troopers  now  began, 
and  when  one  half  had  succeeded  in  crossing,  a 
small  steamboat  paddled  suddenly  in  sight  and 
started  to  shell  the  two  Confederate  detachments, 
now  separated  by  the  stream.  The  situation  for 
Morgan's  men  became  highly  critical, — one  section 
was  waiting  on  one  shore  for  the  other  section, 
which  was  now  held  to  the  opposite  shore.  At  any 
moment,  the  Federal  cavalry  in  pursuit  might  come 
up  on  the  Kentucky  side;  while  the  militia  posted 
on  the  hill  back  of  the  Indiana  bank  might  already 
have  been  reinforced.  The  two  wings  could  thus  be 
easily  crushed  without  being  able  to  afford  each 
other  any  assistance;  but  after  a  sharp  duel  with 
the  Parrott  guns,  the  steamboat  drew  off,  and  the 
Confederates  on  the  Kentucky  bank  took  advantage 
of  its  retreat  to  join  their  comrades,  anxiously  ex- 
pecting them  on  the  Indiana  side. 


120  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

Once  more  the  march  was  taken  up.  The  van- 
guard as  they  advanced  again  sang: 

"Here's  a  health  to  Duke  and  Morgan, 
Drink  it  down." 

And  the  rear  guard  replied  in  tones  that  could  be 
heard  by  the  men  in  front  in  spite  of  the  distance: 

"The  race  is  not  to  them  that's  got 
The  longest  legs  to  run, 
Nor  the  battle  to  that  people 
That  shoots  the  biggest  gun." 

As  Morgan's  veterans  plunged  deeper  into  the 
country,  they  ran  up  against  large  bodies  of  militia 
barricaded  behind  the  rail  fences;  but  being  un- 
trained, they  were  easily  dispersed.  The  people 
scattered  at  the  Confederates'  approach  as  a  flock 
of  chickens  scatters  at  the  shadow  of  a  hawk.  Their 
larders  were  found  wide  open,  and  their  abandoned 
kitchen  stoves  were  covered  with  cooked  or  half 
baked  meats  and  vegetables,  which  the  hungry 
invaders  did  not  scruple  to  take  and  devour.  Only 
one  house  was  set  on  fire,  and  this  was  thus  treated 
because  it  had  been  used  as  an  improvised  fortress. 
Everywhere  the  wires  were  cut  to  prevent  the  trans- 
mission of  news  of  the  Confederate  advance,  which 
would  have  led  at  once  to  a  concentration  of  hostile 
troops  to  block  all  farther  progress. 

There  was  stationed  at  Cincinnati  a  large  body  of 
Federal  soldiers,  and  as  Morgan  drew  near  to  this 


MORGAN  CROSSES  THE  OHIO  121 

city,  he  was  aware  that  the  chances  of  his  inter- 
ception had  been  increased  by  its  proximity;  but 
this  did  not  cause  him  to  hesitate  to  continue  his 
march  straight  for  that  place.  He  was  hopeful 
that  he  had  confused  the  reports  as  to  his  move- 
ments by  his  mystifying  telegrams;  and  that  the 
greater  number  of  the  Federal  troops  originally 
concentrated  there,  had,  in  consequence,  been  broken 
up  into  widely  dispersed  detachments,  which  were 
searching  for  him  in  the  wrong  directions.  His  own 
force  was  very  much  reduced  by  deaths,  wounds, 
and  captures;  but  he  was  confident  that  he  could 
beat  off  whatever  small  body  of  men  might  still  be 
on  guard  in  Cincinnati,  should  they  leave  their  post 
there  and  venture  outside.  He  concluded  not  to 
enter  its  streets  even  if  no  opposition  was  met  with 
as  he  approached  the  suburbs,  for  he  anticipated 
that  each  house  would  be  made  a  small  fortress; 
and  that  his  soldiers,  ignorant  of  the  town,  would 
become  too  widely  separated  to  be  called  together 
again  in  their  original  number. 

In  passing  around  the  northern  suburbs  of  Cin- 
cinnati, the  men  were  perplexed  by  the  intricacies 
of  the  roads;  and  they  also  found  it  difficult  to 
keep  in  touch  with  each  other,  as  the  track  of  the 
first  column  of  troopers  was  frequently  blotted  out 
by  the  clouds  of  dust  that  followed  them,  so  that 
the   second    column    were    often    compelled,    in    the 


122  CONFEDERATE   SOLDIERS 

general  darkness,  to  guess  at  the  way  which  their 
comrades  had  taken.  All  were  now  so  exhausted  by 
hard  travel  that  many,  in  their  drowsiness,  slipped 
from  their  horses  to  the  ground,  and  when  they  had 
picked  themselves  up,  stumbled  under  the  cover  of 
the  shrubbery,  and  throwing  themselves  down,  went 
fast  to  sleep. 

Although  most  of  the  horses  were  sprung  from  the 
thoroughbred  stock  of  Kentucky,  yet  few  of  them 
remained  fresh  after  their  journey  of  a  thousand 
miles.  Many  that  started  off  with  the  raid  had 
long  since  given  out  and  been  exchanged  by  their 
owners  for  common  horses  belonging  to  farmers  in 
Indiana  and  Ohio;  but  so  great  was  the  affection 
felt  for  the  abandoned  steeds,  that,  in  parting  with 
them,  the  troopers  were  seen  to  shed  tears  of  poign- 
ant regret. 

Morgan  had  now  pushed  far  to  the  east  of  Cin- 
cinnati; and  at  Williamsburg,  he  decided  to  halt 
men  and  horses  for  the  night  in  order  that  they 
might  obtain  the  rest  which  they  so  much  needed. 
The  spirits  of  the  soldiers  were  greatly  refreshed  by 
a  long  and  deep  sleep;  and  next  morning  they 
awoke  in  as  gay  a  temper  as  when  they  rode  out 
of  Tennessee  towards  the  North.  There  were  two 
violins,  a  banjo,  and  a  guitar  in  the  camp  and 
several  white  and  black  musicians.  The  columns 
were  now  close  to  the  bank  of  the  Ohio,  and  across 


MORGAN  CROSSES  THE  OHIO  123 

its  waters  they  could  see  the  green  hills  of  Ken- 
tucky. The  chords  of  "Old  Kentucky  Home"  were 
struck  on  the  several  instruments,  and  the  strain 
was  taken  up  by  the  voices  of  group  after  group 
until  it  echoed  far  over  the  water. 

Breaking  camp,  the  head  of  the  column  was  turned 
straight  towards  Buffington  Island,  where  it  was 
Morgan's  intention  to  cross  the  river  by  a  ford 
which  was  in  use  at  that  point.  Scouts  sent  ahead 
returned  and  reported  that  the  direct  road  to  this 
ford  was  blocked  by  a  force  of  three  hundred  Fed- 
eral infantrymen,  who  had  thrown  up  formidable 
breastworks.  Federal  cavalrymen  were  already  in 
swift  pursuit  of  the  retiring  Confederates,  and  it 
looked  as  if  they  would  be  caught  between  the  two 
detachments  of  the  enemy  and  either  killed  or  cap- 
tured. Hurrying  forward,  several  hundred  troopers 
were  able,  by  a  short  detour,  under  the  cover  of 
fog,  to  reach  the  head  of  the  ford  in  safety  and  to 
cross  to  the  southern  side.  The  remainder  found 
themselves  practically  surrounded;  Federal  forces 
assaulted  them  from  behind  and  in  front  at  the 
same  moment;  and  to  make  their  position  more 
hopeless,  several  gunboats,  which  had  come  up  the 
river,  poured  a  heavy  fire  into  their  unprotected 
ranks.  The  few  who  were  not  captured  or  killed 
escaped  by  dispersing  in  small  bodies  and  working 
away  from  the  river. 


124  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

Morgan  had  succeeded  in  reaching  the  middle  of 
the  river  safely,  when,  seeing  the  plight  of  his  men 
on  the  Ohio  bank,  he  turned  his  horse's  head  and 
swam  back  to  share  their  fate.  As  he  came  ashore, 
the  negro  banjo  player,  whose  name  was  Box, 
plunged  into  the  water  to  escape  to  the  Kentucky 
side. 

"Come  back,"  shouted  the  General  to  him.  "You 
will  certainly  drown." 

"No,  Marse  John,"  cried  Box,  "if  dey  ketch  you, 
dey  prole  (parole)  you,  but  if  dey  ketch  dis  nigger 
in  a  Free  State,  he  ain't  gwine  to  git  away  while 
dis  war  lasts." 

The  boy  succeeded  in  swimming  without  mishap 
the  long  distance  across  the  river  and  returned  un- 
hurt to  his  Kentucky  home,  there  to  stuff  his  family 
with  marvellous  tales  of  his  part  in  the  great  raid, 
and  to  soothe  his  own  war-worn  spirit  by  daily 
repetition  of  the  plantation  melodies  which  he  had 
played  on  that  famous  march. 

During  six  days,  Morgan  was  able  to  elude  his 
pursuers;  but  at  the  end  of  that  time,  had  to  give 
himself  up,  together  with  two  hundred  brave  com- 
rades who  had  followed  him  to  the  last  ditch.  With 
half  a  dozen  of  these  faithful  men,  he  was  shut  up 
in  the  cells  of  the  Ohio  State  Prison.  The  constant 
movement  in  the  open  air  which  had  marked  their 
lives    during   the   raid,    so    disastrously   terminated, 


MORGAN  CROSSES  THE  OHIO         125 

made  their  confinement  within  four  dark  bare  walls, 
in  a  very  close  atmosphere,  almost  intolerable  to 
them,  and  they  resolved,  if  possible,  to  effect  their 
escape  from  the  toils. 

But  how  was  this  to  be  brought  about?  Fortu- 
nately for  them,  they  had  access  to  each  other 
from  cell  to  cell  during  the  night  and  day  alike, 
which  enabled  them  to  act  in  concert  in  carrying 
out  the  plan  that  they  finally  agreed  on.  The 
only  practicable  way  of  getting  out  was  by  forcing 
an  entrance  to  the  basement;  and  to  accomplish 
this,  they  were  compelled  to  bore  through  a  ce- 
ment floor,  which  was  almost  as  hard  as  if  it  had 
been  laid  in  granite.  Several  men  were  soon  engaged 
in  the  work  of  excavation  under  the  cover  of  the 
bed  in  one  of  the  cells;  others  were  employed  in 
making  ropes  by  tearing  the  sheets  and  ticking  into 
strips  and  twisting  them  stoutly  together;  while 
still  others  were  converting  everything  about  their 
quarters  that  was  at  all  suitable  for  the  purpose 
into  uncouth  weapons  for  self-defense  and  attack. 

During  the  time  the  prisoners  were  so  occupied, 
they  had  to  show  the  most  unvarying  prudence,  for 
the  sentinel  was  likely  to  appear  amongst  them  at 
any  moment  of  the  day  or  night.  At  night,  he  regu- 
larly visited  the  doors  of  the  cells  once  every  three 
hours  and  thrust  his  lantern  between  the  bars  to 
find  out  whether  the  men  were  all  there  and  asleep; 


126  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

and  not  content  with  this,  would  often  return  un- 
expectedly, with  his  footfall  smothered  by  the  use 
of  rubber  slippers,  which  produced  no  sound.  But 
the  prisoners  were  able  to  get  around  him  in  this 
ruse  by  dropping,  before  they  retired,  small  particles 
of  coal  on  the  floor  in  the  passage,  which  crunched 
under  his  tread  and  thus  gave  ample  warning  of  his 
approach. 

The  men  engaged  in  boring  the  hole  under  the 
bed  found  their  task  seemingly  interminable;  but 
just  when  they  began  really  to  despair  of  ever  pene- 
trating the  floor,  which  had  at  a  certain  depth 
changed  from  cement  to  brick,  a  brick  suddenly 
fell  through,  leaving  a  considerable  hole;  and  on 
widening  this  hole,  they  discovered  that  they  had 
reached  an  air  chamber  running  the  entire  length 
of  the  cells.  Previous  to  this  success,  they  had  dis- 
posed of  all  the  rubbish  produced  by  the  improvised 
chisel  by  hiding  it  carefully  in  the  bed  ticking;  but 
afterwards,  there  was  ample  room  for  its  conceal- 
ment in  the  air  chamber. 

At  the  end  of  this  chamber,  they  came  upon  a 
granite  wall.  One  by  one,  when  the  presence  of  a 
single  person  was  not  so  apt  to  be  missed  by  the 
sentinel,  each  took  up,  in  his  turn,  the  task  of  chip- 
ping away  at  this  solid  barrier.  Twenty-three  days 
ppssed  before  the  wall  had  been  penetrated  and  the 
soft  earth  lying  beyond  it  reached.     They  began  at 


MORGAN  CROSSES  THE  OHIO  127 

once  to  dig  a  tunnel,  without  the  slightest  reason  to 
know  where  it  would  end.  A  whole  month  had  been 
consumed  when  a  blow  of  the  rude  instrument  with 
which  they  had  been  so  patiently  excavating,  opened 
up  a  ray  of  sunshine,  and  on  widening  the  orifice, 
the  daylight  entered.  But  for  the  time  being,  they 
were  not  ready  to  escape;  nor  was  that  hour  the 
proper  one  for  the  trial.  They  quietly  waited  until 
the  arrival  of  the  second  night.  In  the  meanwhile, 
they  were  very  suspicious  of  the  sentinel,  and 
watched  for  his  return  with  a  feeling  of  acute  sus- 
pense. 

The  afternoon  preceding  the  night  fixed  for  their 
attempt  to  escape  having  turned  out  to  be  very 
cloudy,  they  looked  forward  with  confidence  to  a 
heavy  fall  of  rain  and  more  than  common  darkness, 
which  they  knew  would  make  it  easier  for  them  to 
carry  out  their  plan.  When  the  sentinel  entered 
for  the  last  time,  he  handed  General  Morgan  a  let- 
ter.    It  ran  as  follows: 

"My  dear  General, — I  feel  certain  that  you  are 
going  to  try  to  get  out  of  prison;  but  for  your  sake, 
don't  you  try  it.  You  will  only  be  taken  prisoner 
again  and  made  to  suffer  more  than  you  do  now." 

The  name  attached  to  this  kind  and  anxious  note 
was  that  of  a  poor  Irish  woman  whom  Morgan  had 
known  in  Kentucky.  Was  it  genuine?  If  so,  it  was 
placed  in  his  hands  at  a  singular  moment.     Suppos- 


128  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

ing  that  his  design  was  suspected  by  friendly  persons 
outside  the  walls,  was  this  their  method  of  setting 
him  on  the  guard?  The  prison  authorities  had,  of 
course,  read  the  letter  before  it  was  delivered,  and  it 
must  have  had  the  effect  of  increasing  their  vigil- 
ance. 

It  was  too  late,  however,  to  pause  or  take  a  back- 
ward step.  Twelve  o'clock  that  night  had  been 
chosen  as  the  moment  for  the  start.  The  prisoners 
at  the  usual  hour  were  locked  in  the  cells,  and  the 
sentinel  returned  later  on  to  find  out  whether  they 
were  asleep  in  their  beds;  but  they  allowed  some 
time  to  pass  before  they  arose,  for  fear  lest  he  might 
steal  back,  with  the  sound  of  his  footstep  carefully 
muffled. 

Their  first  act  was  to  stuff  their  flannel  shirts 
with  the  bed  clothes  and  to  place  them  in  the  beds 
to  simulate  their  bodies;  the  next,  to  descend  noise- 
lessly into  the  air  chamber,  which  was  now  per- 
fectly dark.  The  General,  the  last  to  enter,  struck 
a  match  and  asked  in  a  low  voice  whether  all  the 
men,  seven  in  number,  were  present,  and  whether 
they  had  ready  to  hand  the  rude  cutlasses  which 
they  had,  during  their  leisure,  made  out  of  their 
dinner  knives.    All  responded  in  the  affirmative. 

It  took  but  a  minute  to  reach  the  tunnel.  Every- 
one among  them  knew  that  the  fateful  moment 
had  arrived.    It  was  quite  possible  that,  as  soon  as 


MORGAN  CROSSES  THE  OHIO         129 

they  issued  forth,  a  sentinel  would  halt  them  or 
the  prison  dog  betray  them  by  baying  at  them. 
When  they  got  out  to  the  surface,  they  saw,  to  their 
delight,  that  rain  was  falling  and  that  the  night  was 
excessively  dark,  in  consequence  of  which  the  sen- 
tinel had  retired  to  the  shelter  of  his  box  and  the 
dog  to  that  of  his  kennel.  Gliding  noiselessly  to 
the  first  wall,  they  crossed  it  by  means  of  a  rope 
ladder  which  they  had  made  in  prison  of  the  sheets 
and  blankets.  At  the  second  wall,  they  lifted  one 
of  their  comrades  on  their  shoulders,  and  he,  from 
the  top,  let  the  rope  down  on  the  further  side;  but 
before  they  used  it,  all  stopped  for  a  few  minutes 
in  an  empty  sentry  box  to  change  to  the  civilian 
clothes  which  they  had  been  able,  through  their 
jailor,  to  collect  while  shut  up  in  the  cells. 

By  the  end  of  an  hour,  the  time  consumed  in  their 
daring  enterprise,  they  had  succeeded  in  getting  out 
of  the  prison,  and  they  at  once  broke  up  in  groups 
to  secure  a  greater  chance  of  avoiding  suspicion  and 
escaping  detection.  General  Morgan,  with  a  single 
comrade  named  Hines,  soon  boarded  a  local  train 
just  about  to  start  for  Cincinnati.  In  taking  his 
seat  in  the  cars,  he  found  next  to  him  a  Federal 
officer,  with  whom  he  became  so  genial  that  they 
exchanged  drinks.  As  the  train  passed  in  sight  of 
the  prison  where  the  Confederates  had  been  so  long 
confined,  the  Federal  officer  pointed  it  out  to  his 
new  friend. 


130  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

"There,"  said  he,  "is  the  hotel  where  that  guer- 
rilla, Morgan,  and  his  men  are  spending  their  leisure 
hours." 

Morgan  looked  at  the  building  with  great  inter- 
est. 

"Let  us  hope,"  he  remarked  drily,  "that  the  fellow 
will  make  up  his  mind  to  board  there  the  balance 
of  the  war,  for  he  is  a  damnable  nuisance." 

Knowing  that,  before  the  hour  the  train  was  due 
to  arrive  at  Cincinnati,  the  telegraph  would  spread 
far  and  wide  the  news  of  their  escape,  Morgan  and 
Hines  decided  that  they  would  jump  from  the  car 
while  in  motion  and  endeavor  to  make  their  way  to 
the  Ohio  river  across  the  open  country.  In  this 
manner  alone  could  they  hope  to  escape  capture. 
Hines  leaped  and  fell  headlong  into  the  ditch  at  the 
side  of  the  roadbed.  Morgan  followed  and  struck 
squarely  on  his  feet. 

"What  do  you  mean  by  jumping  from  the  train," 
exclaimed  a  Federal  soldier  who  was  guarding  that 
section  of  the  track.  His  voice  was  gruff  and  his 
attitude  threatening. 

"I  live  here,"  replied  Morgan  quietly,  "why  should 
I  go  all  the  way  to  town  simply  to  return  to  my 
home  here  on  foot?" 

The  river  was  soon  reached,  and  there  they  found 
a  small  boy  in  a  boat  apparently  ready  to  cross. 

"What  are  you  waiting  for,"  asked  Morgan. 


MORGAN  CROSSES  THE  OHIO  131 

"For  my  load.  The  people  up  yonder  will  soon 
bring  it." 

"What  will  they  pay  you  for  carrying  it  over?" 

"Two  dollars." 

"Then  take  us  over  first,  and  we  will  pay  you 
that  sum." 

Obtaining  a  horse  and  money,  on  the  other  side, 
from  a  lady  known  by  them  to  be  in  sympathy 
with  the  Southern  cause,  they  set  out  for  Tennessee 
in  the  guise  of  commissaries  purchasing  cattle  for 
the  Federal  army.  In  one  town,  they  rode  unchal- 
lenged through  an  entire  regiment  of  the  enemy 
which  had  been  sent  there  to  intercept  Morgan's 
scattered  men.  Just  after  crossing  the  Tennessee 
river,  he  dismounted  to  rest  his  horse,  which  had 
become  thoroughly  exhausted  by  the  rapid  journey 
from  the  Ohio.  He  had  hardly  touched  ground 
when  he  was  fired  on,  but  before  the  shot  could  be 
repeated,  he  had  leaped  into  his  saddle  and  escaped 
by  turning  immediately  into  the  undergrowth  of  a 
neighboring  mountain.  Pickets  were  soon  thrown 
around  its  base  by  the  large  Federal  force  which 
had  hurried  up,  and  there  seemed  to  be  no  hope  of 
his  breaking  through  the  cordon.  That  night,  how- 
ever, he  decided  that  he  must  abandon  his  refuge 
even  if  he  had  to  kill  the  first  man  who  tried  to 
stop  him.  Leading  his  horse,  he  quietly  descended 
the  mountain  in  the  darkness,  and  coming  suddenly 


132  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

upon  a  picket,  was  about  to  shoot  him  when  he 
observed  that  he  was  fast  asleep  as  he  leaned 
heavily  against  a  tree.  Morgan  lowered  his  pistol 
and  passed  silently  on. 

Stopping  for  rest  after  daylight,  he  found  him- 
self in  front  of  a  small,  one-room  farm  cabin.  Enter- 
ing, he  soon  perceived  that  the  family  were  Northern 
sympathizers.  They  gave  him  a  doubly  warm  wel- 
come when  he  told  them  that  he  was,  not  only  a 
Unionist,  but  also  a  quartermaster  of  the  Federal 
army  who  had  been  ordered  to  supply  all  the 
country  people  favoring  the  Northern  cause  with 
sugar  and  coffee.  During  this  conversation,  the 
wife  of  the  farmer  was  in  bed,  but  when  she  heard 
that  they  were  so  soon  to  receive  a  large  quantity  of 
these  coveted  articles,  then  so  rarely  obtained,  she 
leaped  to  the  floor  without  stopping  to  clothe  her- 
self more  modestly. 

"Thank  God  for  that,"  she  exclaimed,  "we  ain't 
seed  any  rale  coffee  up  here  since  Kingdom  come. 
I'm  goin'  to  cook  yer  a  fine  supper  right  away." 

"Didn't  some  of  the  rebels  attempt  to  cross  the 
river  today?"  asked  the  General,  as  he  paused  in 
his  consumption  of  the  excellent  meal  which  was 
soon  set  before  him  on  the  rude  table. 

"That  they  did,"  cried  the  old  woman,  "and  our 
men  kilt  some  of  um  and  driv'  the  rest  away. 
Those   that   got   over   took   to   the   mountains   like 


MORGAN  CROSSES  THE  OHIO  133 

wildcats.  But  they  will  get  kilt  too,  for  every  road 
is  watched." 

"It  is  important  for  me  to  reach  Athens  to- 
morrow," said  the  General,  apparently  taking  no 
notice  of  her  remark.  "If  I  don't,  it  will  not  be 
possible  for  me  to  obtain  your  share  of  that  coffee 
and  sugar.  But  I  don't  know  the  way  and  I  must 
have  a  guide." 

"Why,  Paul,"  said  the  woman,  "can't  you  show 
the  Captain  the  path  through  the  farm  which  will 
take  him  right  thar  whar  he  wants  to  go?" 

Before  the  farmer  could  answer,  Morgan  turned  to 
him  and  said: 

"The  night  is  very  cold.  It  is  only  fair  I  should 
pay  you  for  your  trouble.  Here  is  ten  dollars  in 
gold." 

The  sight  of  the  yellow  metal,  and  the  prospect 
of  hastening  the  arrival  of  the  coffee  and  sugar, 
tempted  the  farmer  too  strongly  for  him  to  resist. 
He  rose  at  once  to  obey  his  wife.  When  Morgan 
parted  with  the  countryman,  he  had  to  make  his 
way  through  a  region  which  was  overrun  by  the 
Federal  forces;  and  at  one  point  in  his  road,  he  only 
escaped  capture  by  hiding  himself  in  the  recesses  of 
the  thick  undergrowth  near  at  hand.  Everywhere, 
he  was  recognized  by  persons  who  had  often  seen 
him  before;  but  without  his  identity  having  been 
betrayed  to  the  enemy  on  a  single  occasion,  he  ar- 
rived safely  within  the  Confederate  lines. 


CHAPTER  VII 
The  Boy  Artillerist 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  BOY  ARTILLERIST 

If  we  will  read  the  history  of  all  great  national 
armies,  we  will  find  that  few  of  their  officers  below 
the  rank  of  General  have  won  such  fame,  by  their 
skill  and  bravery,  either  in  the  course  of  one  cam- 
paign or  of  many  campaigns,  that  their  names  have 
become  almost  as  renowned  as  the  names  of  the 
commanders  who  directed  all  the  manoeuvres  of  the 
different  divisions  at  the  critical  hour.  The  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia  is  an  exception  among  the 
number.  It  is  true  that,  when  we  recall  the  many 
triumphs  of  that  army,  it  is  of  its  three  preeminent 
leaders,  Lee,  Jackson,  and  Stuart, — the  serene  and 
far-sighted  strategist,  the  titanic  thunderbolt,  and 
the  daring  cavalryman, — that  we  first  think;  but  as 
our  thoughts  sweep  back  over  those  fields  of  battle, 
so  long  deprived  of  all  their  scars  by  the  soft  touch 
of  man  and  nature  at  peace,  there  rises  before  us  a 
fourth  figure, — the  figure  of  John  Pelham,  the  boy 
artillerist,  which  is  clothed,  though  in  an  entirely 
different  manner,  in  an  even  finer  raiment  of  mili- 
tary glory  than  the  personalities  of  the  three  great 
commanders  under  whom  he  served. 

Both  Jackson  and  Stuart  sank  under  that  mortal 
stroke  of  fate  which  comes  to  all  soldiers,  when   it 


138  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

does  come,  as  a  matter  of  course;  and  so  did  Pel- 
ham;  but  unlike  Jackson,  Stuart,  and  Lee,  his 
whole  military  existence  was  literally  passed  in  the 
smoke  and  flame  of  the  cannon's  mouth.  From  the 
moment  the  fighting  began  to  the  moment  it  ended, 
he  was  never  absent  from  the  immediate  zone  of 
the  hottest  firing;  from  the  first  call  of  the  bugle, 
the  atmosphere  in  which  he  moved  was  an  atmos- 
phere that  fairly  rocked  under  the  terrific  concus- 
sion of  artillery  and  musketry.  His  duty  took  him 
at  once  to  the  border  post  of  imminent  peril,  and 
there  in  the  deadly  breach  it  kept  him  until  the 
wave  of  battle,  like  a  wave  of  the  sea  shaken  by 
an  earthquake,  had  receded  and  died  away  alto- 
gether. 

Imagine  how  supremely  dauntless,  how  romantic- 
ally brave,  must  have  been  the  man  who,  in  such 
an  army  as  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia, — an 
army  of  heroes  such  as  the  world  has  rarely  seen, — 
was  never  spoken  of  except  as  the  Gallant  Pelham! 
His  comrades  and  his  countrymen  did  not  refer  to 
him  or  think  of  him  as  John  Pelham,  or  as  Major 
Pelham;  to  them,  he  was  always  the  Gallant  Pel- 
ham. In  the  midst  of  that  host  of  intrepid  men, 
he  was  the  only  one  to  whom  this  splendid  popular 
badge  of  honor,  as  expressive  as  it  was  simple,  was 
by  common  consent  allowed.  He  had  received  it 
from  General  Lee  himself,  and  it  had  at  once  been 


THE  BOY  ARTILLERIST  139 

accepted  by  all  as  a  just  attribution  to  be  forever 
coupled  with  his  name. 

Pelham  was  only  twenty-four  years  of  age  when 
he  was  killed;  and  yet,  as  we  shall  see,  he  had,  from 
the  first  great  encounter  of  the  war,  although  a  mere 
boy  in  years  as  well  as  in  appearance,  been  one  of 
the  strong  arms  on  which  his  commanders  leaned  at 
the  most  critical  turn  of  the  fighting.  No  one  thought 
of  his  youth;  rather  they  thought  of  him  as  they 
would  have  thought  of  a  veteran  who  could  point 
to  an  hundred  scars  on  his  own  person.  It  was  only 
after  his  death  on  the  battle  field  that  the  minds  of 
men  reverted  to  his  youth. 

He  entered  the  Military  Academy  at  West  Point 
as  a  cadet  from  the  State  of  Alabama  when  only 
eighteen  years  of  age.  While  there,  he  won  distinc- 
tion in  several  ways  that  foreshadowed  the  qualities 
and  capacities  exhibited  by  him  in  the  engagements 
of  the  Civil  War.  First  of  all,  he  was  noted  for 
his  unswerving  directness  and  perfect  self-possession. 
It  was  said  of  him  there  that,  whenever  he  crossed 
the  parade  ground,  he  kept  to  a  mathematically 
straight  line;  and  that  the  whole  corps  might  raise 
a  shout  in  his  rear  simultaneously,  and  without  ap- 
parent cause,  and  yet  he  would  not  stop  or  look 
around  to  ascertain  the  reason  for  the  sudden  uproar. 

He  was  very  generally  thought  to  be  the  most 
skillful  athlete  at  the  Military  Academy,  especially 


140  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

in  the  departments  of  fencing  and  boxing,  and  had 
hardly  an  equal  in  the  exercises  of  the  riding  school. 
It  is  recorded  of  him  that  the  Prince  of  Wales,  who 
visited  West  Point  in  1860,  spoke  with  astonished 
admiration  of  his  remarkable  feats  in  horsemanship, 
for  which  he  had  been  trained  from  boyhood  by 
his  life  on  a  Southern  plantation.  The  tradition  of 
his  extraordinary  athletic  and  riding  accomplish- 
ments lingered  for  many  years  at  the  Military 
Academy,  and  were  among  the  manly  memories  of 
the  great  school  related  with  undiminished  enthusi- 
asm to  each  successive  class  of  "plebes." 

After  war  broke  out,  Pelham  offered  his  services 
to  the  Confederacy,  and  at  an  early  date  was  placed 
in  charge  of  the  ordnance  concentrated  at  the  start 
at  Lynchburg.  This  duty,  imposed  on  him  on  the 
threshold  of  his  career,  shaped  the  whole  of  its  sub- 
sequent course, — he  became  an  officer  of  artillery  at 
the  beginning,  and  remained  in  that  arm  of  the 
service  until  his  last  hour. 

When  the  Confederate  army,  under  Beauregard, 
was  gathering  in  the  vicinity  of  Manassas,  in  expec- 
tation of  McDowell's  advance,  Pelham  was  busy 
with  all  the  energy  and  ardor  of  his  temper,  in 
drilling  the  members  of  Alberti's  Battery,  encamped 
near  Winchester  many  miles  away;  but  before  the 
smoke  began  to  float  over  the  battle  field  on  the 
banks  of  Bull   Run,   he  had  arrived  at  the  front; 


THE  BOY  ARTILLERIST  141 

where  he  hurried  to  take  up  with  his  guns  a  forward 
position  so  fully  exposed  to  fire  that  a  distinguished 
officer,  who  had  accompanied  him  so  far,  quickly 
rode  away,  with  the  remark: 

"If  you  are  fool  enough  to  stay  here,  I  am  not." 
So  fearless  was  Pelham's  conduct  during  this 
battle,  the  first  in  which  he  had  taken  part,  and  so 
skillfully  did  he  handle  his  guns,  that  he  at  once 
drew  on  himself  the  eyes  of  Stuart;  indeed,  so  deeply 
impressed  was  that  commander  with  his  success  as 
an  officer  under  such  a  supreme  test  that  he  en- 
trusted him,  after  the  victory  had  been  won,  with 
the  organization  of  a  battery  to  consist  of  six  pieces 
of  Horse  Artillery. 

The  men  whom  Pelham  picked  out  to  make  up 
this  battery,  which,  in  time,  came  to  be  the  most 
famous  in  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  were 
principally  chosen  from  the  regiments  furnished  by 
the  State  of  Alabama.  Some  of  these  cannoneers 
had  been  recruited  in  the  neighborhood  of  his  home 
in  that  State,  and  had  personally  known  him  from 
childhood.  One  of  the  guns,  which  soon  won  a  gen- 
eral reputation  for  the  efficiency  with  which  it  was 
worked,  was  always  loaded  and  fired  by  French 
Creoles  from  Mobile.  Pelham  named  them  his 
"Napoleon  Detachment."  They  disclosed  their 
French  sympathies  and  emotions  by  singing  the 
Marseillaise  whenever  they  went  into  battle. 


142  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

This  was  the  first  conspicuous  scene  in  Pelham's 
career.  The  battery  which  he  now  organized  was 
the  nucleus  of  the  celebrated  batteries  of  horse  ar- 
tillery which  formed  so  invaluable  a  section  of 
Stuart's  command,  and  shared,  either  partly  or 
wholly  under  Pelham's  direction,  in  all  the  principal 
battles  in  which  the  officer  was  engaged.  He  was 
perhaps  the  youngest  man  to  hold  so  important  a 
position  in  this  arm  of  the  Confederate  service.  He 
was  still  a  boy  in  appearance  as  well  as  in  years. 

The  daring  which  he  displayed  at  First  Manassas 
was  to  be  repeated  on  every  field  on  which  he  fought 
thereafter;  it  was  noted  that,  as  soon  as  the  enemy 
began  retiring,  his  guns  were  rushed  far  ahead  of 
the  Confederate  infantry  to  shell  the  retreating 
ranks;  and  that,  whenever  the  cavalry  at  full  tilt 
went  into  action,  these  guns  accompanied  them  at 
the  same  high  rate  of  speed.  The  horse  artillery 
always  entered  a  battle  at  a  gallop;  it  withdrew  at 
a  snail's  pace.  In  the  course  of  the  fighting,  Pel- 
ham  is  said  to  have  shown  the  gayety  of  a  school 
boy  on  the  playground;  and  he  frequently  spoke  of 
a  battle  where  he  had  been  more  reckless  than 
usual  in  exposing  himself  to  danger  as  a  "jolly  good 
fight." 

When  the  Confederate  army,  after  Manassas,  fell 
back  from  the  general  line  of  the  Rappahannock,  to 
Pelham  was  assigned  the  supreme  duty  of  guarding 


THE  BOY  ARTILLERIST  143 

the  rear  against  concentrated  attack,  and  of  closing 
the  fords  to  prevent  the  enemy's  passage  until  the 
main  force  had  got  well  away.  This  duty  he  per- 
formed successfully. 

The  next  battle  in  which  he  was  actually  engaged 
was  the  Battle  of  Williamsburg,  which  General  John- 
ston fought  while  retreating  from  the  entrenchments 
around  Yorktown;  and  so  inspiring  was  Pelham's 
example  on  this  field  that  it  was  said  at  the  time 
that  he  had,  by  his  skill  and  intrepidity,  "converted 
raw  militia  into  veterans."  At  Cold  Harbor,  in  the 
course  of  the  Seven  Days'  Campaign,  he  advanced 
one  piece  of  artillery  under  his  own  personal  direc- 
tion fully  one  third  of  a  mile  ahead  of  the  Confed- 
erate position.  During  an  hour,  this  was  the  only 
gun  of  the  Confederate  right  wing  that  was  firing; 
and  it  held  its  place  although  the  shells  of  an  entire 
Federal  battery  were  discharged  against  it. 

So  soon  as  the  battle  of  Second  Manassas  opened, 
he  pushed  his  battery  at  a  gallop  into  the  midst  of 
the  sharpshooters  thrown  out  in  front  of  the  Federal 
army;  nor  did  he  order  the  horses  to  be  halted  until 
the  guns  had  come  almost  up  to  the  line  of  the 
massed  columns.  As  Stonewall  Jackson  looked  on 
at  the  cannoneers,  so  dangerously  posted  and  yet 
firing  into  the  ranks  of  the  enemy  as  coolly  as  if 
from  some  distant  hill,  he  said  to  Stuart,  in  his  dry, 
laconic  way: 


144  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

"If  you  have  another  Pelham,  give  him  to  me." 

At  Sharpsburg,  Pelham  had  charge  of  most  of  the 
artillery  operating  on  the  Confederate  right  wing, 
which  was  under  the  command  of  Stonewall  Jackson 
in  person.  So  incessantly  did  his  guns  roar,  so  much 
daring  did  he  display  in  advancing  them,  and  so  ef- 
ficiently did  he  work  them,  that  Jackson,  who  was 
rarely  given  to  bursts  of  praise  and  who  was  one  of 
the  least  impulsive  of  men,  exclaimed: 

"Every  army  should  have  a  Pelham  on  each 
flank." 

And  when  General  Lee  abandoned  the  heights  of 
Antietam  and  passed  across  the  Potomac  to  the 
Virginia  side,  Pelham  posted  his  horse  artillery  op- 
posite the  ford  at  Shepherdstown,  perhaps  the  most 
vital  of  all  the  fords,  and  held  back  the  enemy  with 
a  firmness  and  tenacity  which  they  found  it  impos- 
sible to  break  down;  and  he  only  retired  at  last 
when  further  resistance  had  been  made  unnecessary 
by  the  safe  withdrawal  of  the  Confederate  troops  in 
the  direction  of  Winchester. 

An  interval  of  rest  and  recuperation  for  the  Con- 
federate and  Federal  armies  now  followed,  during 
which,  in  the  beautiful  home  of  friends  on  the  banks 
of  the  Opequan,  Pelham  passed  the  last  autumn  of 
his  life.  There  he  renewed,  under  the  magnificent 
oaks  and  sycamores  that  surrounded  the  house,  that 
love  of  nature  and  natural  scenery  which  he  had 


THE  BOY  ARTILLERIST  145 

first  acquired  amid  the  scenes  of  his  early  boyhood 
in  Alabama.  He  found  great  pleasure  too  in  wander- 
ing alone  through  the  distant  woods  and  fields.  In 
his  intercourse  with  his  friends  under  this  hospitable 
roof-tree,  he  revealed  more  conspicuously  than  ever 
that  sweetness  of  temper,  simplicity  of  character, 
and  courtesy  of  manner,  which  had  always  seemed 
to  those  who  knew  him  well  to  set  off  so  beauti- 
fully the  stern  underlying  qualities  of  his  nature  as 
exhibited  in  the  flame  and  smoke  of  battle. 

But  in  the  midst  of  the  happiness  of  this  peaceful 
rural  seat,  his  thoughts  were  never  long  turned 
away  from  the  enemy,  who  were  now  encamped  in 
Virginia,  and  were  expected  to  move  at  an  early 
day.  From  the  hour  when  Burnside  began  to  de- 
scend from  Aldie,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Blue  Ridge 
Mountains,  he  found  Pelham's  artillery  hotly  and 
pertinaciously  disputing  every  foot  of  his  progress 
towards  the  Rappahannock.  So  resolute  and  fearless 
was  Pelham,  in  fact,  that  quite  often  he  would  not 
draw  back  until  the  foe  had  come  up  to  a  point 
that  appeared  to  be  only  a  few  feet  from  the  muzzle 
of  his  most  forward  gun. 

On  a  certain  day,  he  had  pushed  one  piece  of  his 
artillery  very  much  ahead  of  the  rest,  and  it  was  in 
imminent  danger  of  being  captured;  the  enemy, 
indeed,  were  marching  straight  up  to  it.  At  this 
critical  moment,  Pelham  was  handed  an  order  from 


146  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

Stuart  to  fall  back.  So  hot  was  the  fire  that  his 
men  had  already  retired  precipitately  from  the 
ground,  but  he  lingered  for  a  few  minutes  longer 
alone.  He  loaded  the  piece  himself  and  set  it  off, 
apparently  in  the  very  face  of  the  attacking  force; 
then  he  quietly  mounted  one  of  the  wheel  horses 
and  started  all  four  off  with  the  gun  at  a  gallop. 
A  fusillade  followed  him,  and  the  horse  he  rode  fell 
in  his  tracks;  he  instantly  cut  the  traces,  and 
mounting  the  other  wheel  horse,  started  off  a  second 
time  at  a  gallop  with  the  gun.  The  second  horse, 
like  the  first,  was  soon  shot  and  disabled;  again  he 
cut  the  traces,  and  mounting  one  of  the  two  lead- 
ers, started  off  the  third  time  at  a  gallop.  The 
third  horse  also  was  in  a  few  minutes  struck  to  the 
ground;  not  hesitating  one  moment,  he  cut  the 
traces  of  this  horse,  and  mounting  the  fourth  and 
last,  succeeded  in  rushing  the  gun  off  the  field 
without  any  mishap  either  to  it  or  himself. 

It  was  probably  during  these  operations  on  the 
Rappahannock  that  a  stirring  scene  which  revealed 
the  celerity,  efficiency,  and  fearlessness  of  Pelham's 
battery  occurred.  It  was  witnessed  by  a  Confed- 
erate officer  who  had  fallen  a  prisoner  in  the  hands 
of  the  enemy.  A  stream  ran  between  the  lines  of 
the  two  armies.  On  the  Confederate  side,  a  road 
which  wound  behind  the  rampart  of  broken  hills 
abutting  on  the  bank  of  this  stream,  was,  from  the 


THE  BOY  ARTILLERIST  147 

Federal  position  opposite,  exposed  to  full  view  for 
the  space  of  two  hundred  yards.  Down  this  high- 
way, a  long  Confederate  wagon  train  was  compelled 
to  pass,  and  while  they  were  fully  protected  during 
the  time  they  were  screened  by  the  hills,  they  were 
in  immediate  danger  of  destruction  from  the  fire  of 
a  powerful  Federal  battery  just  as  soon  as  they 
emerged  to  sight  in  the  open  section  of  the  road. 
Before  reaching  this  section,  each  driver,  by  terrific 
blows  of  his  heavy  whip,  would  start  his  mules  off 
at  top  speed;  and  standing  up  in  his  stirrups,  halloo- 
ing in  his  loudest  voice,  and  continuing  to  flog  with 
all  his  might,  would  endeavor  to  rush  his  clumsy 
wagon  unharmed  along  the  unsheltered  part  of  the 
road  to  the  security  of  the  hill  at  the  other  end. 
As  each  wagon  came  into  view,  the  Federal  battery 
would  discharge  a  round  of  shrieking  shells  at  the 
rapidly  moving  target,  with  the  natural  effect  of 
further  hastening  the  pace  of  the  frightened  driver 
and  his  mules. 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  back  of  the  first  line 
of  hills,  there  rose  another  and  a  higher  line,  with 
their  top  covered  with  a  dense  growth  of  trees;  but, 
on  the  side  that  fell  away  to  the  hollow  between 
the  two  ridges,  entirely  clear  of  forest.  Just  at  the 
time  when  the  Federal  battery  was  about  to  direct 
an  increased  fire  at  the  open  section  of  the  road, 
two  pieces  of  horse  artillery  belonging  to  Pelham's 


148  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

battery  galloped  out  of  the  bosom  of  the  wood 
growing  on  the  second  ridge  and  began  to  descend 
along  the  bare  slope  at  the  same  high  rate  of  speed. 
Disappearing  from  sight  in  the  bottom,  they  reap- 
peared on  the  top  of  the  line  of  hills,  overlooking 
the  river,  which  confronted  the  position  of  the  Fed- 
eral battery.  The  horses,  straining  at  their  harness, 
continued  to  advance  at  a  gallop,  with  the  can- 
noneers either  bestriding  them  or  clinging  to  those 
parts  of  the  guns  where  they  could  find  a  footing. 

Suddenly,  the  horses  were  halted,  and  the  men 
leaped  to  the  ground  and  began  to  ram  the  loads 
into  the  muzzles.  Hardly  a  minute  seemed  to  pass 
before  there  was  a  puff  of  white  smoke;  the  roar  of 
an  explosion  followed,  and  simultaneously  a  bolt 
struck  one  of  the  cannon  of  the  Federal  battery.  A 
second  shell  shrieked  from  the  other  Confederate 
gun  almost  at  the  same  instant;  a  third,  a  fourth, 
a  fifth, — all  of  which  reached  their  mark  or  re- 
bounded very  close  to  it. 

So  astonished  at  first  were  the  Federal  cannoneers 
that  it  was  not  until  the  sixth  shell  had  been  fired 
by  the  two  puny  Confederate  guns  that  the  Federal 
battery  responded;  and  when  it  did  reply,  although 
this  battery  was  opposing  as  many  as  six  guns  to 
two,  it  was  unable  to  discharge  a  greater  number 
of  shells  than  its  small  Confederate  rival.  At  last 
outmatched,  in  spite  of  its  superior  weight  in  metal, 


THE  BOY  ARTILLERIST  149 

it  withdrew  out  of  range  and  declined  to  exchange 
further  shots  at  all. 

But  the  most  celebrated  exploit  in  the  military- 
career  of  Pelham  was  yet  to  occur;  and  this  exploit, 
as  we  shall  see,  was  entirely  in  harmony  with  that 
spirit  of  reckless  daring  which  he  had  already  dis- 
played so  many  times  in  the  forefront  of  the  battle 
field.  The  great  armies  of  Burnside  and  Lee  had 
taken  their  respective  positions  on  the  opposite 
heights  looking  down  on  the  Rappahannock  at 
Fredericksburg.  The  hills  on  the  north  bank  of  the 
river  were  crowned  with  earthworks  as  a  bulwark 
for  a  long  line  of  Federal  batteries,  which  were 
ready  at  the  word  of  command  to  hurl  thousands 
of  shells  across  the  broad  plain  spread  out  between 
the  two  hostile  forces.  The  stream  ran  at  the  base 
of  these  fortified  hills,  and  from  its  southern  bank 
the  lowland  rolled  away  to  the  foot  of  the  high 
ground  where  the  entrenched  Confederate  army 
awaited  the  onset  of  the  foe.  Burnside  had  de- 
cided to  throw  his  troops  across  the  Rappahannock 
by  means  of  pontoon  bridges,  and  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  guns  on  the  heights  behind  them,  to 
march  them  straight  over  this  plain  to  attack  the 
Confederate  position. 

It  was  the  morning  of  December  13th,  1862.  A 
heavy  fog  veiled  the  surface  of  the  valley  and  hid 
from  view  the  divisions  of  the  enemy,  which  had 


150  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

crossed  the  stream  at  an  early  hour  and  been  drawn 
up  by  their  officers  in  battle  array  on  the  south 
bank  while  they  were  still  invisible. 

Lee,  Jackson,  and  Stuart  about  this  time  mounted 
their  horses  and  rode  down  behind  the  line  of  Con- 
federate bayonets.  Stuart,  when  they  arrived  near 
the  spot  where  his  artillery  was  stationed,  quietly 
beckoned  to  Pelham,  and  on  his  quickly  coming  up, 
gave  him  an  order  in  a  low  voice.  Pelham,  having 
saluted,  returned  to  his  post,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
was  to  be  seen  galloping  down  towards  the  plain, 
followed  by  his  Napoleon  gun  manned  by  his  French 
Creole  cannoneers.  This  gun  had  been  captured  at 
Cold  Harbor  in  the  campaign  of  the  Seven  Days 
Battles;  and  it  had  thundered  louder  than  any  other 
in  his  battery  in  the  hottest  fighting  at  Second 
Manassas,  Sharpsburg,  and  Aldie. 

Pelham,  had  he  preferred,  could  have  sent  one  of 
his  officers  to  discharge  the  duty  which  Stuart  had 
imposed,  but  the  task  was  one  peculiarly  agreeable 
to  him  as  it  gave  him  another  chance  to  rush  his 
Napoleon  ahead  of  his  own  columns  into  the  very 
teeth  of  the  enemy.  The  position  which  he  now 
took  up  was  far  out  on  the  plain  and  in  the  very 
path  of  the  approaching  Federal  army;  and  he  made 
himself  the  most  conspicuous  target  by  keeping  his 
seat  on  horseback  at  the  very  moment  he  was  forc- 
ing his  men  to  lie  down. 


THE  BOY  ARTILLERIST  151 

At  first,  the  blanket  of  mist  was  so  thick  that  the 
only  proof  of  the  enemy's  presence  was  given  by  the 
music  of  the  military  bands  that  accompanied  the 
different  corps.  Gradually,  the  fog  lifted  as  the 
rays  of  the  morning  sun  grew  warmer,  and  a  mag- 
nificent and  most  formidable  spectacle  was  revealed 
to  the  eyes  of  the  waiting  cannoneers.  A  vast  host 
of  blue-coats,  marshaled  in  battle  line,  with  their 
starry  flags  held  aloft,  and  their  bayonets  rising  like 
a  forest  above  their  heads,  and  their  metal  accoutre- 
ments glittering  in  the  light,  were  marching  forward 
with  a  steady  tramp  which  resounded  even  from 
that  distance. 

Here  were  but  a  single  gun  and  a  handful  of  can- 
noneers in  the  very  path  of  this  mighty  army.  The 
only  possible  supporters  of  these  brave  men  were 
entrenched  far  behind  on  the  southern  heights;  and 
to  make  their  situation  the  more  precarious,  the 
batteries  on  the  north  side  of  the  Rappahannock 
began  to  hurl  a  hurricane  of  shells  in  every  direction 
over  that  part  of  the  plain  which  spread  out  ahead 
of  the  advancing  Federal  columns. 

Pelham's  gun  faced  the  left  wing  of  the  Federal 
hosts,  composed  of  Meade's  Division.  Just  as  soon 
as  it  came  in  range,  he  opened  a  rapid  fire  on  its 
ranks;  and  he  kept  this  up  until  Doubleday's  Divi- 
sion, wheeling  to  the  left,  marched  to  its  assistance. 
He    continued    to    pour    one    shrieking    shell    after 


152  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

another  into  this  reinforced  mass;  and  at  last  it  re- 
coiled in  confusion;  but  soon  reformed  and  came  on 
again.  His  single  gun  was  now  exposed  to  the  con- 
centrated fire  of  at  least  five  battalions  attached  to 
these  two  Federal  Divisions.  Amidst  the  tremendous 
roar  that  was  shaking  earth  and  sky,  the  Creole 
cannooneers  could  be  heard  singing  the  Marseillaise 
as  blithely  as  if  they  were  taking  part  in  some  grand 
review,  while  Pelham  calmly  continued  to  give  his 
orders  from  the  saddle. 

All  this  time,  the  entire  Confederate  army  posted 
on  the  hills,  and  a  large  part  of  the  Federal  on  the 
plain,  were  looking  on  at  the  duel  going  on  with 
such  odds  against  the  youthful  artillerist. 

"It  is  glorious,"  exclaimed  General  Lee,  giving 
voice  to  his  admiration,  "to  see  such  courage  in  one 
so  young." 

During  an  entire  hour,  Pelham  stopped  the 
enemy's  advance;  and  he  finally  drew  off  only  on 
receiving  a  peremptory  order  from  Stuart  to  retire, 
as  General  Lee,  who  knew  that  the  gun's  resistance 
must,  in  the  end,  give  way  before  the  joint  impact 
of  Meade  and  Doubleday,  preferred  that  these 
Divisions  should  now  move  on  to  the  assault  of  the 
heights,  where  his  forces  were  impatiently  awaiting 
them.  The  favorable  issue  of  the  battle  could  be 
promoted  but  not  brought  about  by  one  such  act  of 
extraordinary  bravery. 


THE  BOY  ARTILLERIST  153 

Retreating  to  the  hills,  Pelham  took  command  of 
all  the  artillery  posted  on  the  Confederate  right 
wing,  and  had  charge  of  it  until  night  fell.  As  the 
Federals,  discomfited,  slowly  withdrew,  he  steadily 
pushed  forward  his  guns;  and  they  were  thundering 
away  as  long  as  there  was  light  enough  to  take  ac- 
curate aim. 

During  the  winter,  the  two  armies  remained  in- 
active; but  in  March  (1863),  Averill  crossed  the 
Rappahannock  at  Kelly's  Ford,  not  far  from  Fred- 
ericksburg, at  the  head  of  three  thousand  cavalry- 
men. It  happened  that  Pelham  had  accompanied 
Stuart  to  a  camp  some  distance  away  to  attend  a 
court  martial,  and  while  returning,  heard  the  boom 
of  cannon  in  the  direction  of  the  river;  he  immedi- 
ately galloped  forward;  and  when  he  reached  the 
scene  of  fighting,  his  own  artillery  not  yet  having 
come  upon  the  ground,  he  observed  a  regiment 
which  appeared  to  be  severely  shaken  by  the  hot 
fire  suddenly  concentrated  on  its  ranks.  He  gal- 
loped up  to  the  men,  and  waving  his  hat,  shouted 
out: 

"Form,  Boys.    Forward  to  victory  and  glory." 

He  had  hardly  uttered  these  brave  words  when  he 
fell  headlong  from  his  horse.  A  fragment  of  shell 
had  struck  him  on  the  head,  a  blow  which  proved 
to  be  fatal  at  the  end  of  a  few  hours.  His  body 
was  taken  to  Richmond,  and  lay  in  state  there  in 


154  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

the  capitol  as  if  his  part  in  the  war  had  been  as 
important  as  that  of  some  commanding  General. 

Never  before  or  afterwards,  during  the  course  of 
the  great  conflict,  did  the  death  of  so  young  an  of- 
ficer call  forth  such  a  eulogistic  proclamation  as  the 
one  which  Stuart  issued  to  his  men  when  told  that 
Pelham  had  been  killed. 

"To  you,  his  comrades,  it  is  needless  to  dwell 
upon  what  you  have  so  often  witnessed, — his  prowess 
in  action,  already  proverbial.  You  well  know  how, 
though  young  in  years,  a  mere  stripling  in  appear- 
ance, remarkable  for  his  genuine  modesty  of  de- 
portment, he  yet  disclosed  on  the  battlefield  the 
conduct  of  a  veteran,  and  displayed  in  his  handsome 
person  the  most  imperturbable  coolness  in  danger. 
His  eye  had  glanced  over  every  battle  field  of  this 
army,  from  First  Manassas  to  the  moment  of  his 
death,  and  he  was,  with  a  single  exception,  a  bril- 
liant actor  in  them  all.  The  memory  of  the  gallant 
Pelham,  his  many  virtues,  his  noble  nature,  and 
purity  of  character,  is  enshrined  as  a  sacred  legacy 
in  the  hearts  of  all  who  knew  him.  His  record  has 
been  bright  and  spotless;  his  career  brilliant  and 
successful.  He  fell, — the  noblest  of  sacrifices  on 
the  altar  of  his  country,  to  whose  glorious  service 
he  had  dedicated  his  life  from  the  beginning  of  the 
war." 


CHAPTER  VIII 
Mosby  and  the  Partisan  Rangers 


CHAPTER  VIII 
MOSBY  AND  THE  PARTISAN  RANGERS 

The  most  famous  of  all  the  partisan  rangers  of 
the  South,  during  the  Civil  War,  was  Colonel  Mosby, 
whose  exploits  in  that  character  are  more  like  the 
inventions  of  some  stirring  writer  of  romance  than 
events  of  history  that  really  took  place.  He  entered 
upon  the  scenes  of  this  part  of  his  career, — he  had 
been  a  simple  scout  before, — while  still  a  young 
man,  full  of  the  adventurous  spirit  which  is  youth's 
sharpest  spur  to  energetic  and  daring  action.  His 
person  is  thrown  against  the  screen  of  those  extra- 
ordinary times  as  boldly  as  if  he  stood  in  the  very 
first  rank  of  its  greatest  soldiers;  one  can  see  in  the 
mind's  eye,  with  all  the  distinctness  of  actual  vi- 
sion, his  slender,  almost  gaunt,  figure,  his  beardless 
lip,  his  tanned  cheek,  and  his  piercing  eye,  before 
which  the  most  reckless  of  his  followers  who  had 
given  offense  was  forced  to  quail.  He  wears  a  gray 
uniform,  and  the  only  weapons  which  he  carries  are 
the  two  pistols  that  are  stuck  in  his  belt. 

A  quiet,  reticent,  and  withal  a  stern  man,  he  was 
unbending  in  compelling  the  fullest  obedience  to  all 
his  orders;  and  yet  he  never  for  a  moment  relaxed 
the  vigilance  of  his  eye  for  the  safety  and  comfort 


158  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

of  his  soldiers;  and  on  no  occasion  would  he  com- 
mand them  to  go  where  he  was  not  willing  to  lead. 

Being  an  unerring  judge  of  character,  he  refused 
to  accept  as  a  member  of  his  band  any  one  who  did 
not  win  his  confidence  at  once,  a  matter  of  vital 
importance  in  the  peculiar  kind  of  warfare  in  which 
he  was  engaged.  In  fact,  he  had  an  unalterable  con- 
viction as  to  the  sort  of  men  that  he  needed;  and 
he  declined  to  allow  the  mere  appeals  of  personal 
liking  to  influence  him  in  his  choice;  sometimes, 
indeed,  as  we  shall  see,  he  admitted  to  his  squad 
men  who,  in  the  beginning,  were  looked  upon  by 
all  its  members,  except  himself,  as  disguised  spies, 
but  who,  by  their  fidelity  and  loyalty,  proved  the 
correctness  of  his  instinctive  faith  in  their  trust- 
worthiness. 

The  fame  of  Colonel  Mosby  will  always  be  asso- 
ciated with  that  part  of  Piedmont  Virginia  which 
lies  between  the  upper  waters  of  the  Potomac  and 
those  of  the  Rappahannock,  with  the  cloud-capped 
wall  of  the  Blue  Ridge  as  its  western  boundary. 
This  region  was  as  much  a  debatable  land  during 
the  Civil  War  as  the  romantic  borders  of  Scotland 
in  the  days  of  the  Highlander  forays  and  English 
raids, — a  land  which  belonged  to  that  army  of  either 
side  which  could  hold  it  for  a  day,  or  a  month,  or 
a  year.  But  Mosby  and  his  partisan  rangers  con- 
sidered it  to  be  their  own;  and  not  the  less  so  when 


MOSBY  AND  THE  RANGERS  159 

the  Federal  troops  happened  to  be  in  seemingly 
indisputable  possession  of  its  grass-covered  hills  and 
valleys,  and  its  dense  and  dark  woods. 

The  counties  of  Loudon  and  Fairfax  particularly 
were  known  as  Mosby's  Confederacy.  This  was, 
indeed,  a  region  which  was  precisely  suited  in  all  its 
features  to  the  operations  of  a  partisan  force;  for, 
being  beautifully  pastoral,  it  overflowed  with  those 
supplies  for  man  and  beast  which  such  a  force  were 
compelled  to  pick  up  as  they  stole  or  hurried  from 
point  to  point;  and  it  also  contained  thick  bodies  of 
forest  to  serve  as  a  screen  in  excursions  against  the 
enemy  or  as  a  hiding  place  whenever  discretion  sug- 
gested a  temporary  retreat  before  superior  numbers. 
Besides,  it  spread  right  up  to  the  base  of  the  Blue 
Ridge,  in  the  fastnesses  of  which  the  entire  com- 
pany could  withdraw  in  safety  when  the  season  or 
hot  pursuit  dictated  their  complete  dissolution  and 
dispersion. 

The  rangers  were  kept  together  only  when  Mosby 
was  engaged  in  some  one  of  his  furtive  expeditions. 
If  there  was  no  raid  underway,  either  because  the 
period  of  the  year  was  unfavorable  or  the  enemy 
were  too  cautious  to  offer  a  vulnerable  side,  his 
men  were  widely  scattered  among  the  homes  of  the 
small  farmers  who  lived  in  the  more  or  less  remote 
and  inaccessible  foot  hills  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  Here 
they  were  able  to  obtain  comforts  which  were  not 


160  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

customary  either  with  themselves  or  with  the  soldiers 
of  the  main  armies  when  on  the  march  or  in  camp 
or  bivouac.  The  food  set  before  them  by  their 
rural  hosts  was  abundant  and  wholesome,  although 
plain  and  without  much  variety;  there  was  plenty 
of  cornbread,  bacon,  poultry,  game,  and  vegetables 
to  appease  their  hunger  from  day  to  day;  and  they 
had  clean  shuck  mattresses  and  substantial  beds  to 
sleep  on  at  night;  while  for  their  horses,  whose 
good  condition  was  of  as  much  concern  to  them  as 
their  own,  the  blue  grass  in  the  meadows  and  on 
the  hillsides,  and  the  grain  and  hay  in  the  stables, 
afforded  all  the  provender  that  they  required  to  keep 
them  sleek,  fat,  and  hardy. 

Mosby  had  established  his  secret  headquarters  in 
the  little  town  of  Upperville  not  far  off,  and  when, 
by  the  report  of  his  scouts  or  by  his  own  personal 
observations, — for  he  frequently  ventured  alone  into 
the  neighborhood  of  the  enemy's  encampments, — he 
saw  an  opportunity  to  deliver  a  sudden  but  furtive 
blow,  he  dispatched  a  mounted  courier  to  the  near- 
est locality  in  the  foothills  of  the  mountains  where 
he  knew  that  some  of  his  band  were  awaiting  his 
summons;  in  turn,  one  of  this  number  was  instructed 
to  take  horse  and  to  carry  the  same  summons  to 
the  next  locality;  and  so  on,  until  all  the  rangers 
had  received  the  order  to  assemble  at  the  rendez- 
vous, often  forty  or  fifty  miles  away,  which  had 
been  specially  appointed  by  their  leader. 


MOSBY  AND  THE  RANGERS  161 

Whoever  failed  to  obey  this  order  without  having 
a  good  excuse,  was  promptly  and  peremptorily  com- 
manded to  go  back  to  the  company  in  the  regular 
army  from  which  he  had  been  detailed;  but  it  was 
very  rare,  indeed,  that  a  trooper  turned  a  deaf  ear 
to  the  call;  in  fact,  a  lazy  life  in  the  farmers'  houses 
lost  all  its  charms  so  soon  as  the  prospect  of  taking 
part  in  some  adventurous  raid  was  held  out  to  him 
by  the  courier's  announcement.  He  was  clearly 
aware  that  Mosby  would  not  have  sent  for  him  had 
he  not  already  matured  some  daring  excursion  which 
would  afford  his  men,  in  carrying  it  out,  plenty  of 
glorious  excitement. 

Twenty-four  hours  had  hardly  passed  when  the 
Partisan  Chief  would  find  himself  surrounded  at  the 
rendezvous  by  twenty,  thirty,  and  sometimes  fifty 
soldiers,  burning  to  follow  him  even  to  the  death, 
without  thinking  it  necessary  first  to  request  him  to 
reveal  his  plans  or  his  destination.  Who  were  these 
troopers  who  gathered  around  Mosby  as  quickly  and 
excitedly  as  a  pack  of  buckhounds  run  together 
about  their  huntsman  when  he  sounds  the  first  note 
on  his  familiar  horn? 

The  majority  were  young  men  of  adventurous  and 
even  reckless  spirit  who  had  obtained  permission  to 
leave  the  ranks  of  Stuart's  command  in  order  to 
join  the  Partisan  Leader;  a  few  were  hardly  more 
than  boys,  who  had  never  served  under  any  other 


162  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

officer  or  in  any  other  troop;  one  or  two  were  soldiers 
of  fortune,  attracted  to  him  from  oversea  by  his 
reputation  for  splendid  daring,  which  had  spread 
even  to  those  distant  parts. 

There  was  not  one  who  did  not  ride  with  the  skill 
of  a  Mexican  herdsman,  and  who  did  not  feel  rather 
more  at  home  in  the  saddle  than  on  the  ground.  If 
there  was  no  reason  at  the  moment  for  silence  and 
vigilance,  they  showed  the  gayety  and  buoyancy 
of  their  spirits  as  they  rode  along  by  trolling  the 
songs  which  were  popular  with  the  cavalry. 

Ordinarily,  Mosby's  rangers  wore  no  uniform,  but 
they  were  always  distinguishable  as  Confederate 
soldiers  by  some  badge  of  grayness  about  their 
clothes.  After  a  successful  raid,  as  was  said  at  the 
time,  they  were  the  best  equipped,  best  mounted, 
and  best  dressed  men  in  their  arm  of  the  service; 
the  dandies  among  them  would  then  show  them- 
selves in  suits  remarkable  for  gold  braid,  buff  trim- 
mings, and  gilt  buttons;  would  wear  high-topped 
boots  and  soft  hats  decorated  with  glossy  ostrich 
plumes.  These  splendid  garments  and  trappings 
were  quickly  discarded  on  the  first  news  of  the 
enemy's  presence. 

There  were  few  features  of  their  daily  life  when 
actually  in  the  field  which  recalled  the  routine  of 
the  regular  soldiers,  whether  in  camp  or  on  the 
march, — for  instance,  they  were  never  awakened  at 


MOSBY  AND  THE  RANGERS  163 

dawn  by  the  reveille;  they  were  not  required  at 
night  to  retire  to  sleep  by  the  sounding  of  taps; 
there  was  rarely  a  roll  call  to  show  presence  or 
absence;  and  there  was  never  a  drill.  No  supply  of 
food,  clothes,  ammunition,  or  guns  was  ever  given 
out  to  them;  they  picked  up  their  rations  in  the 
countryside  as  they  passed  along;  and  the  remainder 
they  obtained  by  capture.  They  never  slept  under 
a  tent;  when  they  wanted  rest  at  night,  they 
stretched  themselves  on  the  ground  wrapped  in  their 
blankets,  while  their  horses  either  stood  picketed 
close  by  or  were  allowed  to  graze  in  the  nearest  field 
until  the  eastern  sky  showed  the  approach  of  dawn. 

It  was  not  simply  a  spirit  of  aimless  daring  that 
influenced  Mosby  even  in  his  most  reckless  adven- 
tures. He  had  invariably  certain  definite  purposes 
to  carry  through.  The  principal  one  always  was  to 
find  out  the  movements  of  the  enemy  and  to  fathom 
their  designs,  with  the  view  of  reporting  them  for 
the  guidance  of  Lee  and  Stuart.  Subordinate  to 
this,  he  sought  to  harass  and  worry  the  enemy's 
detachments;  to  cut  the  telegraph  wires  and  break 
up  the  railroads  within  their  lines;  to  capture  dis- 
patches passing  to  and  from  the  hostile  headquarters; 
to  destroy  wagon  trains  loaded  with  army  supplies; 
to  seize  pickets,  scouts,  and  videttes;  and  to  overrun 
isolated  camps. 

He  was  always  looking  for  and  trying  to  strike  at 
unprotected   gaps   on   the   hostile   front   or   rear   in 


164  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

order  to  force  the  enemy  to  use  up  a  great  many 
troops  in  guarding  all  points;  and  he  was  indefatig- 
able in  his  efforts  to  disrupt  their  communications 
by  every  means  available  to  his  hand.  So  suddenly 
did  he  appear  in  the  open,  so  quickly  did  he  vanish 
in  the  nearest  forest,  that  he  was  often  spoken  of 
by  the  foe  as  the  Flying  Dutchman  of  the  Woods, 
and  his  followers  as  Children  of  the  Mist. 


CHAPTER  IX 
Capture  of  General  Stoughton 


CHAPTER  IX 

CAPTURE  OF  GENERAL  STOUGHTON 
Perhaps  the  most  brilliant  of  all  Mosby's  ex- 
ploits as  a  partisan  ranger  was  his  capture  of  Gen- 
eral Stoughton  in  March,  1863.  At  this  time,  he 
had  under  his  command  a  small  band  of  carefully 
picked  troopers.  The  Fifth  New  York  Cavalry 
Regiment  and  other  Federal  forces  were  now  en- 
camped near  Fairfax  Court-House,  and  it  was  im- 
portant that  their  movements  should  be  followed 
and  their  designs,  if  possible,  penetrated.  Mosby 
was  debating  in  his  own  mind  as  to  the  most  prac- 
ticable means  of  obtaining  the  information  desired, 
when  a  deserter  from  the  enemy  appeared  in  the 
circle  of  his  bivouac  and  expressed  an  earnest  wish 
to  join  his  company.  At  first,  this  man,  whose 
name  was  Ames,  was  looked  upon  by  the  rangers 
with  strong  suspicion  as  a  possible  spy,  and  his 
presence  was  barely  tolerated;  but  Mosby,  after 
carefully  weighing  all  his  assertions  about  himself, 
and  for  some  time  observing  his  bearing,  decided  to 
permit  him  to  remain,  a  conclusion  which  he  never 
had  reason  to  regret,  for  Ames  became  one  of  the 
most  daring  and  trustworthy  of  his  squad;  was  pro- 
moted to  a  lieutenancy;  and   finally  perished  in  a 


168  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

hand-to-hand  combat  with  one  of  the  enemy's  caval- 
rymen. 

When  Ames  entered  the  rangers'  camp,  it  hap- 
pened that  there  was  one  among  them  who  was 
anxious  to  procure  a  horse  before  the  expedition 
which  he  knew  was  on  foot  should  set  out. 

How  was  he  to  supply  his  want  in  time?  If  he 
failed  to  secure  a  horse,  he  would  be  left  behind, 
and  would  thus  miss  all  the  certain  excitement,  and 
his  share  in  the  possible  profits,  of  the  projected 
adventure.  Ames  too  was  without  a  horse,  and 
when  told  by  the  ranger  of  his  own  necessity,  he 
thought  that  he  saw  an  opportunity  to  obtain  steeds 
for  both,  and,  in  doing  so,  to  win  at  one  stroke  the 
unreserved  confidence  of  his  new  comrades. 

"If  you  will  go  with  me,"  he  said,  "I  will  take 
you  to  the  camp  where  I  was  stationed,  and  there 
I  feel  sure  we  can  each  lay  hands  on  a  horse." 

It  seemed  to  be  full  of  risk  to  rely  so  far  on  a 
deserter's  word  as  to  accompany  him  to  the  very 
spot  from  which  he  had  fled.  What  if  he  should 
after  all  turn  out  to  be  a  spy?  But  the  trooper  was 
so  eager  to  obtain  a  horse,  that,  after  a  moment's 
hesitation,  he  agreed  to  adopt  Ames's  suggestion. 
Leaving  the  rangers'  bivouac,  they  made  their  way 
through  the  woods  to  the  enemy's  nearest  encamp- 
ment, which  they  reached  at  midnight,  when  only 
the    sentinels    were    awake.     These    sentinels    knew 


GENERAL  STOUGHTON  169 

Ames  personally,  and  he  was  confident  that,  if  they 
were  unaware  of  his  desertion,  which  he  thought 
probable,  they  would  permit  him  and  his  companion 
to  enter  the  bounds  after  a  curt  challenge.  And  in 
this  anticipation,  he  proved  to  be  right;  the  first 
sentinel  they  came  upon,  on  being  told  his  name, 
offered  no  objection;  and  the  two  men  immediately 
found  themselves  within  the  limits  of  the  enemy's 
post.  Ames  and  his  comrade  went  straight  to  the 
spot  where  the  horses  were  tethered,  and  after  look- 
ing them  over  as  carefully  as  the  darkness  allowed, 
each  mounted  the  particular  animal  which  he  pre- 
ferred and  rode  away.  The  sentinel  took  them  to 
be  merely  pickets  going  to  relieve  others  who  had 
been  watching  during  the  first  part  of  the  night. 

Mosby  had  made  up  his  mind  to  penetrate  as  far 
within  the  Federal  lines  as  Fairfax  Court-House; 
and  this  successful  adventure  of  the  two  men  con- 
firmed him  in  his  purpose.  It  proved  that  Ames 
could  be  fully  trusted;  and  with  the  advantage  of 
Ames's  minute  knowledge  of  the  Federal  camps,  he 
felt  more  confident  that  the  projected  dash  could 
be  triumphantly  carried  out.  The  objective  which 
he  had  in  view  was  not  disclosed  to  any  of  his  men; 
they  were  only  aware  that  some  excursion  more 
daring  even  than  usual  was  in  contemplation,  and 
they  were  entirely  content  to  repress  their  curiosity. 

Mosby  really  designed,  not  only  to  pass  straight 
through  the  Federal  lines,  but  also  to  bring  off  Gen- 


170  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

eral  Stoughton,  who  was  stationed  at  Fairfax  Court- 
House.  This  would  be  a  blow  that  would  resound 
like  a  thunderclap,  and  would  give  him  such  a  repu- 
tation at  a  single  stroke  that  his  success  in  his 
future  enterprises  would  certainly  be  promoted  by 
it.  Not  only  did  he  have  among  his  followers  the 
deserter  Ames,  who  was  thoroughly  informed  as  to 
all  the  camps  of  the  enemy,  but  also  two  brothers, 
Underwood  by  name,  who  were  said  to  know  every 
natural  feature  of  all  that  region  as  well  as  did  the 
animals  that  prowled  by  day  or  night  about  its 
fields  and  woods.  Having  explored  every  swamp 
and  every  forest  situated  in  Fairfax  county,  they 
would  be  able  to  guide  the  rangers  by  paths  which 
the  Federal  troops  were  ignorant  of,  although  not 
far  away  from  the  localities  where  they  were  sta- 
tioned. 

It  would  be  hard  to  imagine  a  more  difficult  or  a 
more  adventurous  enterprise  than  Mosby  was  now 
about  to  start  upon.  Fairfax  Court-House,  his  des- 
tination, not  only  itself  was  occupied  by  Federal 
soldiers,  but  in  its  immediate  vicinity  two  infantry 
regiments  were  encamped.  Three  regiments  of  cav- 
alry, under  Colonel  Wyndham,  an  English  officer, 
were  stationed  within  three  miles  of  the  town;  and 
at  Centreville,  not  far  off,  there  was  posted  an 
infantry  brigade;  while  at  Fairfax  station,  two 
miles  to  the  south,  a  second  brigade  of  infantry  was 


GENERAL  STOUGHTON  171 

to  be  found.  Thus  there  stood  between  Mosby  and 
his  prey  a  most  formidable  mass  of  cavalry,  in- 
fantry, and  artillery. 

There  were  three  highways  leading  to  Fairfax 
Court-House  from  the  west  and  south,  from  which 
directions  alone  would  Mosby  be  able  to  approach. 
If  he  went  all  the  way  by  the  Little  River  turnpike, 
he  would  be  certain  to  run  up  against  Colonel 
Wyndham's  cavalry;  should  he  choose  the  Warren- 
ton  turnpike,  he  would  eventually  find  himself  face 
to  face  with  a  mixed  force  of  cavalry,  infantry,  and 
artillery.  On  the  other  hand,  if  he  advanced  by  the 
railway,  he  would  be  halted  by  the  brigade  at  Fair- 
fax station  before  he  could  debouch  into  the  road 
running  to  the  Court-House. 

He  finally  decided  to  seek  a  door  through  the 
cordon  by  stealing  down  the  body  of  woods  that 
lay  in  the  triangle  between  the  Little  River  and 
Warrenton  turnpikes,  with  its  apex  pointing  to  the 
Court-House.  There  were  twenty-nine  men  in  the 
band  that  followed  him  when  he  set  out  for  his 
dangerous  objective.  All  were  mounted  on  strong 
and  well  trained  horses.  When  they  started  down 
the  Little  River  turnpike,  which  they  had  to  travel 
along  at  first,  night  had  fallen  and  the  darkness 
seemed  to  wrap  every  object  In  pitchy  blackness. 
On  arriving  at  a  point  about  three  miles  from  the 
hamlet   of   Chantilly,   they   turned   off   the   highway 


172  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

and  entered  the  thick  wood  that  tapered  towards 
the  Court-House.  The  darkness  grew  more  dense 
than  ever  in  the  recesses  of  the  forest;  and  in  a  short 
time,  the  two  squads,  into  which  the  men  had  been 
divided,  became  separated.  The  second  squad  began 
to  stumble  aimlessly  about  among  the  trees,  per- 
plexed as  to  which  was  the  right  direction  to  take, 
while  the  first  went  forward  without  any  suspicion 
that  their  comrades  had  lost  the  track.  Some  of 
the  men  of  the  second  squad,  having  no  guides  and 
becoming  discouraged,  proposed  that  they  should 
endeavor  to  find  their  way  back  to  the  camp  which 
they  had  so  recently  left;  some  suggested  that  they 
should  remain  where  they  were  until  Mosby,  missing 
them,  should  send  the  two  Underwood  scouts  to 
bring  them  up.  On  the  other  hand,  the  majority 
urged  that  they  should  go  straight  on  in  the  hope 
of  recovering  the  trail  of  the  first  squad.  This  ad- 
vice in  the  end  prevailed.  Reaching  an  opening  in 
the  forest,  they  saw  a  light  shining  through  an  open 
window,  and  on  riding  up  to  inquire  as  to  their  where- 
abouts, they,  to  their  relief,  discovered  Mosby  and 
the  other  members  of  the  advance  squad  seated  within. 
The  rangers  had  now  reached  the  outer  line  of  the 
Federal  pickets,  and  it  was  only  by  observing  the 
utmost  caution,  aided  by  the  pall  of  darkness,  that 
they  succeeded  in  creeping  through  the  cordon  with- 
out   having    been    detected.    Fairfax    Court-House 


GENERAL  STOUGHTON  173 

was  situated  about  four  miles  away.  They  now 
turned  towards  the  turnpike  that  passed  from  the 
Court-House  through  Centrevilie  westward;  entering 
it,  they  cut  the  wires,  and,  at  a  rapid  trot,  advanced 
down  the  highway  until  they  began  to  draw  near 
to  the  camp  where  a  large  body  of  Federal  troops 
were  posted.  Here  they  were  within  one  and  a 
half  miles  of  the  Court-House.  Leaving  the  enemy's 
station  on  their  left,  the  rangers  boldly  struck  into 
the  thick  woods  again. 

It  was  Mosby's  aim  now  to  reach  the  road  run- 
ning from  the  Court-House  to  Fairfax  station, 
which  he  knew  to  be  unprotected,  except  at  the 
station  itself,  by  any  force  stronger  than  pickets, 
who  might  be  easily  captured  if  they  should  attempt 
to  block  his  path.  Debouching  into  this  road  after 
their  passage  of  the  woods,  the  rangers  turned  their 
horses'  heads  straight  towards  the  village,  which 
they  entered  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  A  pro- 
found silence  hung  over  the  place.  Not  a  dog  bayed 
at  them  as  they  rode  up;  not  a  cock  was  heard  to 
crow;  citizens,  dogs,  and  chickens  alike  seemed  to 
be  buried  in  the  deepest  slumber. 

The  cavalcade  drew  rein  in  the  Court-House 
square.  No  word  was  spoken  above  a  whisper. 
Mosby  ordered  Ames,  the  Federal  deserter,  and  one 
ranger  besides  to  dismount  and  remain  there,  while 
the  rest  of  the  company,  headed  by  himself,  went 


174  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

to  the  home  of  a  citizen  who  was  personally  known 
to  him  as  an  ardent  supporter  of  the  Southern  cause. 
During  the  short  interval  of  waiting,  a  sentinel  came 
up  to  Ames  and  his  companion. 

"What  are  you  doing  here?"  he  asked  abruptly. 

"I  belong  to  the  Fifth  New  York  Cavalry  Regi- 
ment," replied  Ames,  coolly,  "and  I  am  waiting  here 
by  order  of  Major  White,  whom  I  am  expecting 
any  moment." 

The  answer  quieted  the  suspicions  of  the  sentinel, 
and  he  was  about  to  pass  on,  when  Ames,  as  if  to 
whisper  in  his  ear,  leaned  forward  in  the  darkness 
and  suddenly  grasped  his  gun. 

"If  you  utter  a  sound,"  he  exclaimed  in  a  low 
voice,  "you  are  a  dead  man." 

The  sentinel  was  so  astonished  that  he  was  quickly 
disarmed  and  taken  prisoner. 

Hardly  had  this  incident  concluded,  when  Mosby 
returned  with  his  men  to  the  square.  He  divided 
them  at  once  into  three  squads;  one  was  dispatched 
to  the  stables  to  bring  off  the  finest  horses  of  the 
officers;  another  to  the  headquarters  of  Colonel 
Wyndham  to  capture  him;  while  Colonel  Mosbj7, 
accompanied  by  two  rangers,  walked  over  to  the 
house  occupied  by  General  Stoughton. 

To  Ames  was  assigned  the  duty  of  seizing  Colonel 
Wyndham,  but  he  was  found  to  have  left  the  vil- 
lage on  a  visit  to  Washington.     While  Ames  him- 


GENERAL  STOUGHTON  175 

self  was  searching  that  officer's  bedchamber,  his 
comrades  were  exploring  another,  where  they  pulled 
out  of  his  hiding  place  a  Federal,  who  earnestly 
represented  himself  to  be  a  common  sutler,  and 
therefore,  too  unimportant  to  be  carried  off  a 
prisoner;  but  Ames,  on  entering  the  room,  recognized 
him  as  Captain  Barker,  who  was  in  command  of 
the  company  to  which  he  had  belonged  before  his 
desertion.  Barker  at  once  gave  himself  up  without 
offering  further  protest. 

The  squad  that  was  sent  to  the  stable  led  to  the 
square,  within  a  few  minutes,  a  string  of  fine  horses, 
fully  saddled  and  bridled. 

But  Mosby's  own  experience  was  the  most  dram- 
atic of  the  night.  On  reaching  General  Stoughton's 
headquarters,  he  found  that  his  bedroom  was  situ- 
ated up-stairs.  The  doors  to  both  floors  were  un- 
locked; and  so  complete  was  the  General's  sense  of 
security  that  no  sentinel  was  posted  either  within 
or  without  the  house.  Quietly  entering  his  chamber, 
Mosby  found  him  fast  asleep  in  bed.  Going  up  to 
its  side,  he  slapped  the  slumbering  officer's  shoulder 
so  heavily  that  he  awoke;  but  at  first  he  was  in  a 
state  of  dumb,  bewildered  surprise  at  the  sight  that 
was  presented  to  his  eyes.  He  slowly  raised  himself 
on  his  elbow  and  scowled  at  the  intruder. 

"What  is  the  meaning  of  this  visit  at  such  an 
hour?"  he  at  last  growled  out. 


176  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

"Get  up,  I  want  you,"  was  the  short  reply. 

General  Stoughton  looked  at  Mosby  with  a  blacker 
scowl  on  his  face. 

"Do  you  know  who  I  am,"  he  gruffly  demanded, 
"I  will  have  you  arrested." 

"Do  you  know  who  I  am?"  retorted  Mosby  coolly. 

"Who  are  you?" 

"Did  you  ever  hear  of  Mosby?" 

"Yes,  have  you  got  him?" 

"No,  but  he  has  got  you." 

"What  does  all  this  mean,  Sir?"  cried  Stoughton 
indignantly. 

"Mean,"  said  Mosby,  quietly,  "why  it  means 
that  Stuart's  cavalry  are  in  possession  of  the  town, 
and  you  are  a  prisoner.  Get  up  and  accompany 
me." 

General  Stoughton's  body-guard,  consisting  of  two 
soldiers,  occupied  a  tent  at  the  back  of  the  house, 
and  like  their  master,  they  were  taken  fast  asleep, 
for  they  also  thought  that  there  was  no  necessity 
for  watchfulness. 

Stoughton  having  been  required  to  dress  quickly 
and  descend,  Mosby  and  his  two  men,  with  their 
captives,  returned  to  the  square,  where  the  other 
squads  had  already  arrived  with  fifty-eight  of  the 
officers'  saddle  horses  and  thirty-two  prisoners. 
They  had  been  busy  in  the  village  for  one  hour  and 
a  half,  and  it  would  not  be  long  before  the   first 


GENERAL  STOUGHTON  177 

signs  of  dawn  would  appear  in  the  sky.  The  cap- 
tives having  been  quickly  mounted,  the  whole  caval- 
cade was  on  the  point  of  leaving  the  place  behind 
when  the  sound  of  a  window  sash  being  thrown  up 
was  heard. 

"What  cavalry  is  that?"  a  voice  called  out. 

A  smothered  laugh  was  the  only  reply. 

"Dismount,  Nelson  and  Hatcher,"  Mosby  ordered 
in  low  tones,  "and  search  that  house." 

The  two  men,  on  entering  the  principal  room  in 
the  building,  found  it  occupied  by  an  officer's  wife 
in  bed;  on  a  chair  nearby  was  a  Colonel's  uniform; 
on  the  table,  his  hat;  and  hanging  on  the  wall,  his 
gold  watch.  The  officer  himself,  suspecting  that 
there  was  something  wrong,  had  escaped  in  his  night 
clothes  into  the  garden,  and  thence  into  the  dark 
fields  beyond.  Time  was  too  valuable  to  justify  his 
further  pursuit,  for,  should  Mosby  not  succeed  in 
passing  the  picket  line  before  daylight,  the  alarm 
would  be  given  and  his  whole  band  intercepted. 

Taking  the  open  road  to  Fairfax  station,  pre- 
viously used  by  them,  the  rangers  branched  off  into 
the  woods  so  soon  as  they  reached  the  spot  where 
they  had  entered  the  highway  a  few  hours  before, 
and  rode  straight  towards  Centreville.  Not  far 
from  that  place,  they  had  to  make  a  detour  to 
avoid  the  brigade  of  cavalry  posted  there;  and  in 
doing  this,  they  passed  so  close  to  a  strong  Federal 


178  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

fortification  that  a  sentinel  challenged  them;  but 
they  hurried  on  without  replying.  Captain  Barker 
took  advantage  of  the  proximity  of  Federal  soldiers 
to  endeavor  to  escape.  The  ball  fired  at  him  as  he 
started  to  gallop  away  in  their  direction  just  grazed 
his  head,  and  he  was  quickly  recaptured. 

Having  got  by  the  fortifications  in  safety,  Mosby 
and  his  men  soon  arrived  on  the  banks  of  Cub  Run, 
which  they  found  very  much  swollen  from  the  melt- 
ing snows  in  the  foothills  of  the  mountains.  With- 
out the  slightest  hesitation,  they  plunged  into  the 
racing  stream.  Mosby  himself  led  the  way  and 
General  Stoughton  followed  close  behind  him.  When 
the  latter  reached  land  again,  he  said  jocularly  to 
his  captor: 

"This  is  the  first  bad  treatment  I  have  received 
from  you,  Colonel." 

Many  of  the  men  were  carried  down  the  stream, 
but,  in  the  end,  succeeded  in  scrambling  up  the 
bank  and  joining  their  comrades. 

When  they  drew  near  to  Groveton,  Mosby,  ac- 
companied by  one  of  his  men,  galloped  to  the  top 
of  a  hill  commanding  a  view  of  the  region  rolling 
away  towards  Centreville,  which  he  had  just  trav- 
ersed with  the  prisoners  and  his  own  band.  Not  a 
horseman,  not  an  infantryman,  not  a  battery,  was 
in  sight;  the  pursuit  had  evidently  been  considered 
useless  and  had  not  been  undertaken. 


GENERAL  STOUGHTON  179 

Mosby  delivered  his  captives  to  the  Confederate 
authorities  at  Culpeper  Court-House,  where  General 
Fitzhugh  Lee  was  in  command.  Lee  had  been  a 
classmate  of  Stoughton  at  the  West  Point  Military- 
Academy,  and  received  the  distinguished  prisoner 
with  every  mark  of  consideration. 

The  raid  upon  the  village  did  not  become  gen- 
erally known  to  the  Federals  at  Fairfax  Court-House 
until  the  next  morning,  and  as  it  seemed  impossible 
for  even  Mosby  to  have  carried  it  out  so  success- 
fully without  local  connivance,  eight  of  the  leading 
citizens  of  the  place  were  arrested  and  thrown  into 
the  Old  Capitol  Prison  at  Washington.  As  for 
Mosby  himself,  the  astonishing  daring  which  he 
had  shown  and  its  triumphant  issue,  established  his 
reputation  as  the  most  brilliant  partisan  leader  in 
the  Eastern  theatre  of  the  war;  and  this  reputation 
his  subsequent  exploits  served  to  confirm. 


CHAPTER  X 
The  Wagon  Train  and  Greenback  Raids 


CHAPTER  X 
THE  WAGON  TRAIN  AND  GREENBACK  RAIDS 

The  final  summer  of  the  war  had  arrived,  and 
the  Valley  of  Virginia  was  once  more  to  become  the 
field  on  which  Federal  and  Confederate  armies  were 
to  clash  for  mastery;  that  region  had  been  the  scene 
of  some  of  the  first  battles  of  the  great  conflict,  and 
it  was  now  to  be  the  scene  of  some  of  the  last. 
Here  the  only  remaining  hope  of  establishing  South- 
ern independence  was  to  vanish,  for,  when  General 
Early's  surviving  soldiers,  travel-stained  and  war- 
worn, were  dispersed,  there  was  left  no  reasonable 
ground  for  thinking  that  General  Lee,  in  the  trenches 
of  Petersburg,  could  continue  to  hold  his  lines  in  the 
teeth  of  the  increase  in  the  numbers  of  his  Federal 
adversaries  which  must  quickly  follow. 

In  August,  1864,  General  Sheridan,  who  was  to 
strike  so  many  vigorous  blows  at  the  Confederates 
operating  between  the  Alleghanies  and  the  Blue 
Ridge,  took  command  at  Harper's  Ferry  of  all  the 
Federal  troops  posted  in  that  region.  There  was  at 
least  one  eagle  eye  that  was  turned  to  watch  his 
movements  intently  from  the  moment  when  he 
began  to  show  the  first  sign  of  activity.  This  was 
Mosby's.     At  daybreak  one  morning  in  August,  he 


184  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

set  out  from  a  rendezvous  east  of  the  mountains 
for  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  at  the  head  of  three 
hundred  rangers,  who  had  been  hardened  in  body 
and  spirit  by  the  adventurous  life  led  by  them  dur- 
ing the  seventeen  months  that  had  passed  since  their 
chief  had  broken  into  the  village  of  Fairfax  Court- 
House  at  night  and  carried  off  General  Stoughton 
and  his  comrades.  After  a  long  and  fatiguing  march 
through  the  foothills  and  defiles  of  the  Blue  Ridge, 
the  band  halted,  just  as  darkness  came  on,  at  a 
spot  situated  not  far  from  the  little  town  of  Berry- 
ville,  and  almost  within  arm's  reach  of  Harper's 
Ferry  itself. 

The  men  brought  no  encumbering  tents  with  them, 
and  they  made  no  effort  to  seek  the  shelter  of 
houses;  they  simply  unsaddled  their  bespattered 
and  hungry  horses  and  turned  them  out  to  crop 
the  grass,  while  they  stretched  themselves  on  the 
turf  to  snatch  a  few  hours'  sleep  before  again  taking 
up  the  search  for  the  enemy. 

So  soon  as  they  lay  down  to  rest  and  recuperate, 
scouts  were  dispatched  into  the  surrounding  region 
to  find  out  whether  there  were  any  Federal  detach- 
ments abroad  there,  either  quietly  encamped,  scour- 
ing the  country  for  prisoners,  or  spying  out  for  in- 
formation. They  returned  almost  at  once  and  re- 
ported that  the  very  largest  wagon  train  of  the 
enemy  which  they  had  ever  seen  in  the  course  of 


THE  WAGON  TRAIN  185 

the  whole  war,  was  moving,  like  a  great  procession, 
along  the  Valley  turnpike,  situated  behind  a  ridge 
of  low  hills  rising  a  short  distance  away. 

Mosby,  on  being  told  of  this  welcome  fact,  picked 
out  half  a  dozen  members  of  his  band  to  accom- 
pany him  in  his  first  reconnoissance;  the  others  he 
ordered  to  remain  where  they  were  until  he  should 
send  them  word  to  join  him  at  the  scene  of  the 
proposed  attack.  Even  in  this  exciting  moment, 
he  was  anxious  that  they  should  not  be  disturbed 
in  their  repose  until  the  need  of  their  assistance 
became  immediate. 

As  he  and  his  companions  cautiously  advanced 
under  the  cover  of  darkness,  they  could  distinctly 
hear  the  rumble  of  hundreds  of  wheels,  the  sharp 
cracking  of  numerous  whips,  and  the  curses  and  the 
songs  of  the  drivers.  The  bed  of  the  turnpike  being 
of  macadamized  stone,  and  the  air  being  still,  the 
roll  of  so  many  wagons  passing  over  so  hard  a  sur- 
face was  borne  far  and  wide  through  the  sleeping 
country.  The  sound  fell  very  pleasantly  on  the  ears 
of  the  listening  Confederate  troopers,  for  they  were 
able  to  gauge  by  its  volume  how  immense  would  be 
the  damage  which  they  would  soon  be  able  to  in- 
flict on  the  enemy. 

All  the  rangers,  including  Mosby,  were  dressed  in 
the  civilian  clothes  of  common  Virginian  farmers. 
When  they  walked  right  up  to  the  turnpike  and  got 


186  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

their  first  view  of  the  strung-out  wagon  train,  ad- 
vancing like  an  enormous  snake  along  the  track  of 
the  winding  highway, — a  sight  which  delighted  their 
hostile  eyes, — they  made  no  attempt  whatever  to 
conceal  themselves  beyond  first  breaking  up  their 
group  and  taking  position  beside  the  roadway  in 
couples  at  points  considerably  apart;  in  fact,  they 
appeared,  as  they  looked  on,  to  be  simply  so  many 
rustics  who  had  been  drawn  by  curiosity  from  their 
homes  nearby  to  watch  so  extraordinary  a  spectacle 
close  at  hand. 

But  they  were  not  satisfied  to  stand  long  by  the 
roadside  and  gaze  with  open  mouths  in  pretended 
unsophisticated  astonishment, — they  boldly  joined 
the  large  band  of  camp  followers  and  conversed  with 
them,  and  also  with  the  nearest  drivers,  without  ex- 
citing the  slightest  suspicion  either  by  their  dress, 
words,  or  bearing.  Indeed,  it  was  doubtful  whether, 
after  they  actually  mingled  with  that  motley  as- 
semblage, they  were  taken  to  be  even  strangers,  for 
whatever  in  their  aspect  might  otherwise  have  made 
them  different  from  the  rest  of  the  crowd  was  more 
or  less  hidden  by  the  shadow  of  night.  Some  of 
the  troopers,  however,  did  not  hesitate  to  ask  for 
matches  and  to  light  their  pipes  in  the  very  faces  of 
drivers  and  hangers-on  alike.  Through  the  latter, 
by  apparently  casual  questions,  they  found  that,  in 
addition  to  the  wagons  and  their  loads,  there  were 


THE  WAGON  TRAIN  187 

at  least  nine  hundred  head  of  horses,  mules,  and 
cattle  in  the  train;  and  that  they  were  guarded  by 
two  thousand  men  under  the  command  of  General 
Kenly.  Not  content  with  this  information,  the 
rangers  wormed  in  and  out  and  made  a  furtive, 
superficial  inspection  of  the  contents  of  the  wagons; 
and  examined  in  the  same  sly  way  the  quality  of 
the  herd  and  drove  of  live-stock. 

At  last,  satisfied  with  the  facts  which  they  had 
learned,  either  by  word  of  mouth  or  by  the  use  of 
their  own  eyes,  the  rangers,  under  orders  passed  by 
Mosby  to  each  of  his  companions,  fell  out  of  the 
line  of  the  wagon  train  and  took  a  position  hidden 
from  observation  not  far  from  the  roadside. 

The  first  flush  of  morning  had  not  yet  appeared. 
One  of  the  troopers  was  hurried  off  to  awaken  the 
remainder  of  the  band,  who,  as  has  been  seen,  had 
been  left  behind  to  rest.  In  addition  to  the  three 
hundred  men  who  composed  the  entire  company, 
there  were  two  pieces  of  horse  artillery;  but  in  the 
effort  to  force  these  guns  through  a  dense  interven- 
ing wood,  one  of  them  became  completely  disabled. 
The  other,  while  the  hour  was  still  dark,  was  brought 
up  to  the  top  of  a  hill  which  overlooked  the  turn- 
pike and  the  procession  of  wagons. 

All  the  rangers  had  now  been  concentrated  and 
were  eager  and  ready  for  the  attack.  No  hesitation 
to   undertake   it   was   felt,   although   there   were   at 


188  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

least  two  thousand  Federal  soldiers  to  be  faced  and 
defeated  if  the  work  of  destruction  and  capture  was 
to  be  thorough.  As  they  stood  at  attention  in  the 
faint  light  of  dawn,  the  first  sign,  apart  from  the 
rumble  of  wheels,  which  they  had  of  the  wagon 
train  was  the  vast  cloud  of  dust  floating  up  from 
the  highway,  over  which  many  hundreds  of  animals 
were  slowly  tramping.  With  the  increasing  light, 
they  could  see  the  plain  below  them  more  and  more 
clearly,  until  they  gradually  distinguished,  one  after 
another,  the  canvas-topped  army  wagons,  with 
their  teams  and  drivers. 

At  the  word  from  Mosby,  the  cannoneers  of  the 
sound  gun  fired  off  a  twelve  pound  shot,  but  the 
range  was  too  high,  and  the  ball  passed  over  the 
train. 

A  second  shell  quickly  followed.  This  was  more 
successful  and  struck  one  of  the  wagons.  The  sound 
of  the  first  shell  and  the  explosion  of  the  second  in 
their  midst,  being  entirely  unexpected,  and  the  roar 
reverberating  loudly  among  the  hills  at  that  quiet 
hour,  created  at  once  a  scene  of  the  wildest  alarm 
and  confusion;  and  before  the  commotion  could  sub- 
side, a  third  shot  was  discharged  in  the  midst  of  the 
wagons. 

Instead  of  halting  to  find  out  whether  resistance 
was  practicable,  the  guards  endeavored  to  hasten 
the  retreat  of  the  whole  train  as  giving  more  promise 


E-h 


U 


THE  WAGON  TRAIN  189 

of  escape.  The  frenzied  drivers  cracked  their  whips 
and  shouted  at  their  mules;  the  drovers  frantically 
belabored  the  horses  and  cattle  in  order  to  urge 
them  forward  at  the  top  of  their  speed;  while  the 
crowd  of  hangers-on  took  to  their  heels,  in  a  wild 
effort  to  reach  the  head  of  the  train. 

Encouraged  by  the  spectacle  of  this  helpless 
tumult,  and  fearing  lest  their  prey  might  get  away 
after  all,  the  whole  body  of  rangers,  three  hundred 
strong,  galloped  down  from  their  position  on  the 
neighboring  ridge,  and  yelling  and  firing  off  their 
revolvers  as  they  advanced,  were  quickly  up  to  the 
very  line  of  the  turnpike.  As  they  drew  near,  the 
confusion  there  only  increased.  The  drivers,  in  their 
deadly  anxiety  to  escape  from  the  shots  of  the 
troopers,  now  coming  right  on  them,  attempted  to 
pass  each  other,  and,  in  doing  so,  ran  their  wagons 
together,  knocking  off  bodies  and  wheels  alike;  the 
infantrymen,  lost  in  the  terrifying  jam,  could  make 
no  stand;  while  the  cavalrymen  were  engaged  in 
riding  wildly  backwards  and  forwards  in  their  at- 
tempt to  restore  order  in  the  disorganized  train. 
But  this  was  impossible  at  first  in  the  midst  of  all 
that  deafening  noise  caused  by  the  braying  of  mules, 
the  lowing  of  cattle,  the  neighing  of  horses,  the 
shouting  of  drivers,  the  cries  of  the  camp  followers, 
the  crack  of  rifles  and  revolvers,  and  the  triumphant 
yells  of  the  rangers. 


190  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

Just  when  the  stampede  seemed  about  to  end  in 
the  complete  self-destruction  of  the  wagon  train, 
and  the  dispersion  of  the  drove  of  horses  and  mules 
and  the  herd  of  cattle,  the  Federal  officers  were  able 
to  bring  to  bear  some  organized  resistance  with  the 
soldiers  whom  they  had  succeeded  in  concentrating. 
Squads  of  these  posted  themselves  behind  the  stone 
fences  and  bravely  fought  until  compelled  to  retire 
by  a  determined  charge.  This  intermittent  fighting 
went  on  along  the  turnpike  for  at  least  a  mile  and 
a  half  and  aided  many  of  the  wagons  to  escape. 

Ceasing  the  pursuit,  the  rangers  went  back  to  find 
out  what  proportion  of  the  train  had  fallen  into 
their  hands.  Knowing  that  they  had  only  a  short 
time  to  complete  the  work  of  destruction  before  the 
enemy  would  return  in  force,  they  started  in  at  once 
to  unhitch  all  the  teams  left  behind  and  to  rifle 
the  loads;  and  when  this  was  finished,  they  set  fire 
to  the  wagons  and  their  contents  whenever  of  a  kind 
that  was  too  heavy  to  be  taken  away.  A  safe  in 
which  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  greenbacks 
had  been  placed  was  overlooked  and  thus  escaped 
seizure. 

It  was  now  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  the 
rangers  were  ready  to  leave  the  ground.  Mosby  had 
decided  to  return  at  once  to  the  country  east  of  the 
Blue  Ridge,  from  which  he  had  come  the  previous 
day;  but  how  was  he,  with  the  small  force  under 


THE  WAGON  TRAIN  191 

his  command,  to  carry  off  three  hundred  prisoners, 
nine  hundred  head  of  live  stock,  and  a  large  quan- 
tity of  portable  booty  of  all  sorts?  There  were  at 
least  twenty- five  miles  to  be  traversed  before  he 
could  reach  headquarters  in  Fauquier  county;  and 
the  chain  of  the  Blue  Ridge  had  to  be  passed  before 
the  journey  was  over.  Moreover,  not  only  the 
sound  piece  of  artillery,  which  had  done  such  execu- 
tion, was  to  be  taken  back,  but  also  the  piece  which 
had  been  disabled  before  the  fight  began. 

"What   are   you   going   to   do   with   that   broken 
gun?"  Mosby  asked  of  the  cannoneers. 

"We  are  going  to  take  it  back  home  on  the 
other  gun,"  was  the  reply. 

The  mules,  horses,  and  cattle  were  run  together 
in  a  single  drove;  the  captives  were  collected  in  one 
body;  the  rangers  took  the  positions  assigned  them; 
the  order  to  march  was  given,  and  the  strange  pro- 
cession started  upon  the  journey  that  was  to  end 
beyond  the  mountains.  Among  the  articles  which 
had  been  dragged  out  of  the  wagons  before  they 
were  burnt  were  numerous  Federal  uniforms.  The 
insides  of  these  were  turned  outside  in  order  to  ex- 
pose the  red,  white,  and  black  of  the  linings,  and 
in  that  reversed  parti-colored  shape,  were  worn  by 
many  of  the  men  for  the  purpose  of  exciting  the 
derisive  amusement  of  their  companions. 

A  large  number  of  musical  instruments  of  differ- 
ent kinds  had  also  been  captured,   and  the  whole 


192  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

air  was  alive  with  the  strains  in  all  keys, — some  per- 
fectly harmonious,  others  exactly  the  opposite, — ■ 
which  were  produced  by  the  soldiers  in  playing  on 
them.  The  horses  and  mules,  running  loose,  were 
adding  to  the  noise  by  their  neighing,  braying,  and 
kicking;  and  the  several  hundred  head  of  cattle 
further  increased  the  pandemonium  by  their  wild 
bellowing,  and  by  rolling  in  the  dust  of  the  highway 
under  the  very  feet  of  the  rangers. 

When  the  entire  body  of  men  and  animals  reached 
the  banks  of  the  Shenandoah,  they  plunged  in  pell- 
mell,  and  while  many  of  them  were  swept  down 
stream  by  the  current,  all  in  the  end  got  safely  to 
the  eastern  side  and  resumed  the  journey.  By  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  they  had  passed  the  mount- 
ains and  were  descending  the  eastern  slope. 

As  soon  as  the  rangers  halted  for  the  night,  they 
counted  the  livestock,  which  they  had  now  suc- 
ceeded in  driving  to  a  place  beyond  all  danger  of 
capture;  they  found  that  they  had  in  their  posses- 
sion six  hundred  horses  and  mules,  and  two  hundred 
and  fifty  cows  and  bullocks.  About  fifty  head  of 
all  kinds  had  strayed  and  been  lost  on  the  road. 
The  horses  and  mules  were  soon  divided  among  the 
troopers;  the  cattle  were  corralled  to  be  sent  off 
next  day  to  General  Lee's  army;  and  a  squad  was 
appointed  to  take  the  prisoners  far  within  the  Con- 
federate lines.    About  one  hundred  wagons  had  been 


THE  WAGON  TRAIN 193 

destroyed  by  fire  before  the  rangers  left  the  turn- 
pike, and  a  great  quantity  of  stores  of  all  sorts  con- 
sumed. The  entire  loss  of  Mosby's  command 
amounted  to  only  two  men  killed  and  two  wounded. 
Emboldened  by  the  success  of  this  sensational 
raid,  Mosby,  in  October  of  the  same  year,  deter- 
mined to  repeat  it.  He  struck  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  railroad,  the  chief  artery  of  supply  for  the 
Federal  army  in  the  Valley,  at  a  point  not  far  from 
Harper's  Ferry.  He  had  learned  through  his  scouts 
on  the  day  this  occurred  that  a  train  was  expected 
at  a  certain  hour  over  the  railway  which  would  be 
conveying  several  hundred  thousand  dollars  to  be 
used  in  paying  off  the  Federal  soldiers  posted  in 
that  region.  It  would  be  easy  enough  to  throw 
the  cars  off  the  track  simply  by  ripping  up  the  rails 
at  a  curve  which  would  shut  the  engineer  off  from 
along  view  of  the  roadbed  ahead  of  him;  but  Mosby 
was  anxious  to  prevent  a  complete  smash-up,  as 
this  would  endanger  the  lives  of  the  numerous 
civilians  who  were  certain  to  be  on  board.  How 
was  such  an  extreme  catastrophe  to  be  avoided? 
By  taking  the  rails  up  at  a  spot  where  there  was  no 
embankment,  and  where  the  cars  would  be  thrown 
against  the  side  of  a  cut.  Was  it  possible  to  find 
a  curve  in  a  deep  cut,  for  this  only  would  afford 
the  precise  condition  that  he  considered  necessary 
for  the  accomplishment  of  his  purpose? 


194  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

After  exploring  the  line  for  some  distance,  he 
came  upon  a  piece  of  track  that  fulfilled  all  his  re- 
quirements. The  horses  were  hidden  away  behind 
the  leaves  of  the  nearest  brushwood,  while  the  men 
lay  down  just  far  enough  beyond  the  edge  of  the 
cut  to  conceal  their  bodies,  and  yet  close  enough  to 
keep  them  in  earshot  of  the  faintest  echo  that  would 
indicate  the  approach  of  the  treasure  train. 

The  night  was  so  cold  that  they  found  it  difficult 
to  get  rid  of  the  chill,  for  no  fires  were  permitted 
to  be  lighted,  and  Mosby  would  not  tolerate  the 
use  of  stimulants;  indeed,  he  never  allowed  his  fol- 
lowers to  drink  either  on  the  march  or  in  bivouac, 
although  the  scene  of  their  operations,  not  only  now, 
but  from  the  beginning,  had  lain  in  a  country  where 
illicit  distilling  was  one  of  the  principal  occupations 
of  the  mountaineers,  and  where  liquor  was  always 
to  be  obtained  at  an  excessively  low  price. 

The  troopers,  huddled  together  high  above  the 
cut,  were  too  much  engaged  in  listening  for  the 
sound  of  the  expected  train  to  feel  drowsy  or  fa- 
tigued, or  to  trouble  long  about  the  coldness  of  the 
air.  At  midnight,  the  clatter  of  the  cars,  still  sev- 
eral miles  away,  was  faintly  distinguishable,  and 
every  minute  caused  the  sound  to  increase  in  vol- 
ume, until  at  last  it  seemed  to  be  only  a  few  hundred 
yards  away.  The  whole  night  soon  vibrated  to  the 
roar  of  the  wheels  and  the  puffing  of  the  engine. 


THE  WAGON  TRAIN  195 

The  rangers,  knowing  the  fate  that  would  almost 
immediately  overtake  the  train,  held  their  breath  in 
suspense;  and  their  sense  of  excitement  was  not 
diminished  by  the  thought  that  the  treasure  on 
board  was  certain  to  be  guarded  by  many  Federal 
soldiers,  who  would  not  allow  it  to  be  carried  off 
without  a  fight.  They  leaned  towards  the  edge  of 
the  cut  as  far  as  they  dared  to  do  in  their  fear  of 
becoming  visible  in  the  light  of  the  engine  rounding 
the  curve.  Suddenly,  the  head  lamp  flashed  full  in 
their  eyes;  the  train  rushed  around  the  corner;  and 
in  a  moment,  the  engine,  reaching  the  part  of  the 
roadbed  from  which  the  rails  had  been  torn  away, 
ploughed  up  the  ground  for  many  yards,  and  finally, 
amidst  the  roar  of  escaping  steam,  the  grinding  of 
the  numerous  coaches,  and  the  outcries  of  the  pas- 
sengers, rolled  helplessly  into  the  ditch,  a  great  mass 
of  hot  broken  iron  buried  deep  in  the  hissing  mud. 

The  rangers  hardly  waited  for  the  catastrophe  to 
be  completed  before  they  leaped,  revolvers  in  hand, 
down  the  steep  slope  of  the  cut,  and  rushed  to  the 
side  of  the  derailed  cars.  The  conductor,  who 
seemed  to  have  understood  at  once  the  cause  of  the 
disaster,  appeared  at  the  door  of  a  coach  which  had 
not  left  the  track,  with  a  lighted  lantern  in  his 
hand,  and  as  he  waved  it  backward  and  forward, 
he  cried  out: 

"All  right,  Gentlemen,  the  train  is  yours." 


196  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

Several  of  the  rangers  quickly  mounted  the  steps 
of  the  first  car,  and  on  pushing  through  the  door 
found  it  partly  occupied  by  immigrants  from  Europe, 
who  were  unable  to  speak  the  English  language; 
but  there  were  other  passengers  who  could,  and 
some  of  these  showed  at  once  a  disposition  to  resist 
the  troopers.  One  man  near  the  end  of  the  coach 
raised  his  carbine  to  shoot  at  them,  but  before  he 
could  fire,  he  was  struck  by  the  bullets  from  their 
revolvers;  and  this  decisive  action  immediately 
cowed  the  rest  of  the  company. 

The  rangers  soon  noticed  that  two  officers  were 
very  solicitious  for  the  security  of  a  large  bag  and 
box  which  they  had  in  their  possession;  this  excited 
their  suspicion;  and  when  these  receptacles  were 
examined,  it  was  found  that  they  were  crammed  to 
the  brim  with  newly  printed  greenbacks.  Bag  and 
box  were  turned  over  promptly  to  Mosby  as  con- 
taining the  treasure  which  he  had  been  expecting, 
and  he  at  once  instructed  two  of  his  most  trusted 
men  to  take  possession  of  them,  and  having  mounted 
their  horses,  to  carry  the  money  off  to  a  spot  in  the 
Blue  Ridge  where  it  would  be  kept  in  safety  until 
the  whole  band  should  return  from  the  raid. 

The  train  was  composed  of  ten  cars  altogether, 
and  in  addition  to  the  immigrants  and  the  officers, 
was  conveying  a  large  number  of  civilians  and 
soldiers.    The   coaches,   as   soon   as   they   had   been 


THE  WAGON  TRAIN  197 

thoroughly  explored,  were  set  on  fire.  All  the 
soldiers,  who  had  made  no  resistance,  were  placed 
under  guard  with  a  view  to  their  being  marched 
away  to  the  east  of  the  mountains.  Among  them 
was  an  Austrian  who  had  received  a  commission  in 
the  Federal  Army.  His  ring  had  been  taken  as  a 
part  of  the  booty  by  one  of  the  troopers,  and  its 
loss  had  thrown  him  in  a  state  of  great  agitation. 
In  broken  English,  he  earnestly  begged  to  be  brought 
before  Mosby,  and  when  his  request  was  complied 
with,  he  told  the  Partisan  Leader  in  excited  tones, 
which  still  further  confused  his  speech,  that  the  ring 
was  an  heirloom  and  could  not  be  replaced;  and  he 
pleaded  that  it  might  be  at  once  returned. 

Mosby  coldly  scrutinized  the  Austrian's  new  Fed- 
eral uniform  before  he  replied.     He  then  burst  out: 

"What  the  devil  did  you  want  to  come  over  here 
to  fight  us  for?" 

"I  came  to  learn  de  tactics." 

Mosby 's  stern  face  relaxed. 

"The  loss  of  the  ring  is  a  part  of  the  learning, 
perhaps,"  he  said,  with  a  repressed  twinkle  of  his 
eye. 

But  he  ordered  that  the  ring  should  be  returned, 
and  at  the  same  time  he  warned  the  foreigner  that 
he  must,  in  the  future,  rely  upon  himself  for  the 
retention  of  his  own  property.  He  was  presented 
with  a  considerable  amount  of  Confederate  money, 


198  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

which  he  was  told  would  be  of  more  use  to  him  in 
Libby  Prison  than  Federal  greenbacks. 

The  captives,  having  been  brought  together  in 
one  body,  were  marched  rapidly  away  under  the 
escort  of  the  rangers,  and,  without  casualty,  were 
delivered  the  next  day  to  the  Confederate  authori- 
ties. The  men  who  had  been  entrusted  with  the 
custody  of  the  greenbacks  reached  the  appointed 
place  in  safety;  and  when  the  bag  and  box  were 
afterwards  opened  in  the  presence  of  Mosby  and  the 
whole  band,  they  were  found  to  contain  one  hundred 
and  seventy  thousand  dollars.  In  the  division  of 
this  sum,  which  immediately  followed,  each  ranger 
received  twenty-one  hundred  dollars  as  his  share. 
It  was  Mosby's  rule  to  retain  no  part  of  the  booty 
of  a  raid  as  his  portion,  and  he  did  not  break  that 
rule  in  this  instance.  He  always  paid  for  his  horses 
and  their  equipment  with  his  private  means,  a  fact 
that  strengthened  his  influence  with  his  men  by 
proving  his  willingness  to  sacrifice  his  own  interests 
to  enhance  their  profits  from  each  expedition. 

The  exploit  of  capturing  the  train  and  the  money 
bag  and  box  of  the  two  Federal  paymasters  created 
a  panic  among  the  other  paymasters  in  the  Federal 
service  who  happened  to  be  stationed  in  that  part 
of  the  theatre  of  war. 

"I  have  my  funds  in  the  parlor  of  the  United 
States  Hotel,"  telegraphed  Paymaster  Ladd  to  head- 


THE  WAGON  TRAIN  199 

quarters  at  Washington.  "They  are  now  guarded 
by  a  regiment.  I  shall  make  no  move  until  I  can 
do  so  safely;  and  in  the  meantime,  I  await  your 
orders." 

There  was  a  large  body  of  troops  posted  at 
Wheeling  at  the  time  of  Mosby's  raid  on  the  rail- 
way. They  were  concentrated  there  previous  to 
their  removal  to  Washington,  but  instead  of  their 
being  transported  by  the  straight  line  directly 
through  Harper's  Ferry,  as  had  been  intended,  they 
were  conveyed  to  the  Capital  by  a  very  circuitous 
route  to  avoid  the  possibility  of  a  catastrophe  to 
their  train  by  a  dash  of  the  rangers. 

The  Federal  military  authorities  made  at  once  an 
almost  frantic  effort  to  capture  the  bold  raiders  and 
their  leader;  troops  were  dispatched,  in  feverish 
haste,  to  every  point  of  the  compass  in  that  region 
of  country;  and  there  were  many  conflicting  and 
confusing  movements  on  their  part,  but  all  in  vain. 
As  one  of  the  rangers  himself  has  recorded,  while 
all  this  commotion  was  at  its  height,  a  memorable 
scene  was  occurring  in  a  little  village  in  Loudon 
county:  "There,  undisturbed  by  any  fear  of  inter- 
ruption, great  sums  in  crisp  greenbacks  were  handed 
around  equally  and  liberally  among  eighty  of  Mos- 
by's grateful  and  admiring  followers.  The  incident 
was  closed." 


CHAPTER  XI 
Private  Munson's  Escape  from  Prison 


CHAPTER  XI 

PRIVATE  MUNSON'S  ESCAPE  FROM  PRISON 
On  one  occasion,  Mosby  was  informed  that  a  de- 
tachment of  Federal  cavalry  was  engaged  in  a  short 
raid  from  a  camp  which  they  had  established  in 
sight  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  and  not  far  from  the  prin- 
cipal haunts  of  the  Partisan  Leader  and  his  rangers. 
He  at  once  sent  off  Captain  Franklin  with  a  picked 
body  of  men,  including  private  Munson,  who  was  a 
mere  boy  in  years,  to  check  their  advance.  They 
soon  came  upon  the  Federal  troopers  occupying  a 
naturally  strong  position,  and  drawn  up  in  bristling 
array  to  receive  their  onset.  Franklin  thought  that, 
if  he  should  attack  them  simultaneously  in  front 
and  in  rear,  they  could  be  quickly  compelled  to 
retire  from  the  spot  as  untenable;  but  before  the 
flanking  party  could  make  the  necessary  detour,  the 
frontal  assault  had  been  beaten  off;  and  when  the 
assault  on  the  wings  took  place,  it  was  met  by  the 
concentrated  fire  of  the  entire  Federal  force. 

The  Confederates  had  marched  forward  in  ranks 
of  fours  in  delivering  the  flanking  attack;  and  in  the 
very  first  rank  was  private  Munson.  Before  he  was 
aware  of  it,  he  was  left  alone  by  the  retreat  of  his 
comrades  after  their  recoil  before  the  sudden  storm 


204  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

of  bullets.  His  first  impulse  was  to  rush  headlong 
against  the  line  of  Federal  troopers  opposite  him, 
in  the  hope  of  breaking  through  by  the  impact,  and 
escaping  to  the  fields  beyond;  but  even  his  eye,  that 
rarely  shrank  from  the  prospect  of  the  rashest  enter- 
prises, perceived  at  a  glance  that  he  must  inevit- 
ably be  shot  down  as  he  careered  toward  the  enemy 
in  the  very  muzzles  of  hundreds  of  pistols  and  car- 
bines. 

He  quickly  turned  the  head  of  his  horse  and  gal- 
loped off  in  the  opposite  direction,  followed  by  a 
fusillade  of  bullets.  Unfortunately  for  him,  a  stone 
wall  stood  in  his  way.  He  rode  at  it  not  doubting 
that  the  mare  would  take  it  without  the  smallest 
hesitation;  but  on  coming  up  to  it,  she  suddenly 
balked,  and  neither  whip  nor  spur,  vehemently 
applied,  could  make  her  rise  to  the  necessary  leap. 

Munson  jumped  down  from  the  saddle,  scrambled 
over  the  wall,  and  fled  at  the  top  of  his  speed 
across  the  open  fields  to  a  large  body  of  woods 
which  he  saw  in  the  distance.  In  the  meanwhile, 
the  enemy  were  hot  upon  his  tracks,  and  having 
discovered  a  gap  in  the  wall,  which  enabled  them  to 
pass  through  without  delay,  soon  came  up  with 
him  and  forced  him  to  surrender.  He  was  immedi- 
ately stripped  of  his  hat,  plumes  and  gloves,  pistols 
and  belt,  watch,  and  even  his  boots. 

"The  Yankees  trimmed  me  well,"  he  laughingly 
asserted  in  after  times. 


PRIVATE  MUNSON'S  ESCAPE  205 

On  the  following  day,  he  found  himself  on  the 
train  under  guard  on  the  way  to  Washington,  where 
he  was  to  be  imprisoned.  Among  the  soldiers  en- 
trusted with  the  custody  of  the  numerous  captives 
on  board  was  a  man  who  was  indebted  to  him  for 
many  kindnesses  while  lying  in  the  hands  of  the 
Confederates;  and  he  not  only  recognized  Munson 
as  soon  as  he  saw  him,  but  also  readily  promised  to 
assist  him  indirectly  to  escape  by  turning  his  eyes 
away,  should  the  ranger  steal  from  the  train  when 
it  stopped  at  the  next  station  to  take  on  water  for 
the  engine.  But  before  this  station  was  reached, 
the  guard  was  changed,  and  Munson  decided  it 
would  be  too  risky  to  try  to  leave  his  car  without 
collusion  with  the  new  man,  who  stood,  with  fixed 
bayonet,  at  the  door. 

Arriving  in  Washington,  all  the  prisoners  were 
first  drawn  up  in  the  street,  and  then  marched  in 
one  body  towards  the  Old  Capitol,  now  converted 
into  a  military  jail.  The  ranger's  plight  was  one 
of  the  worst  of  all  among  the  captives;  having  been 
deprived  of  his  outer  clothes  when  seized,  he  had 
found  a  very  poor  substitute  in  an  ill-fitting,  cast-off 
suit  which  had  been  given  him  and  that  left  him  in 
a  ragged  and  seedy  condition.  His  feet  were  en- 
tirely naked  of  covering,  for  the  pair  of  rough  horse- 
hide  boots  which  he  had  received  were  several  sizes 
too  large  for  him  to  wear  with  comfort.    But  he 


206  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

was  too  accustomed  to  the  importance  of  chance  in 
the  soldier's  wild  life  to  throw  even  these  boots 
away;  and  he  patiently  bore  them  along  over  his 
shoulder  in  the  hope  that  some  one  would  interpret 
this  action  as  a  signal  of  distress,  and  either  give 
him  outright  another  pair  or  accept  them  in  ex- 
change. 

Suddenly,  another  use  for  the  heavy  boots  oc- 
curred to  his  ingenious  mind;  might  it  not  be  pos- 
sible to  swing  them  at  the  guard  like  a  club?  With 
the  guard  knocked  unconscious  to  the  ground  by  a 
blow  from  the  boots,  Munson  might  seize  the  oppor- 
tunity to  run  up  a  dark  alley  and  get  safely  away 
in  spite  of  pursuit. 

The  man  who  walked  next  to  him  in  the  ranks 
had  once  been  a  resident  of  Washington,  and  was 
familiar  with  every  street,  however  obscure,  of  the 
city.  His  name  was  Denis  Darden.  This  man, 
being  as  eager  to  escape  as  Munson,  received  the 
whispered  details  of  the  latter's  plan  with  warm 
encouragement  and  named  the  most  convenient  by- 
way that  might  be  used  for  their  purpose.  Before 
reaching  it,  they  fell  back  from  rank  to  rank,  with- 
out attracting  notice,  until  they  had  come  to  the 
last  in  the  procession,  which  was  followed  by  a 
single  guard  at  each  of  its  two  corners. 

Munson  had  taken  the  boots  from  his  shoulders 
and    was    furtively    experimenting    as    to    the    best 


PRIVATE  MUN  SON'S  ESCAPE  207 

manner  of  striking  the  nearest  of  the  two  guards 
with  them,  when  some  friends  of  Darden,  who  were 
looking  on  from  the  sidewalk,  recognized  him,  and 
immediately  ran  out  to  greet  him  and  to  walk  at 
his  elbow  some  distance  along  the  street.  As  they 
were  still  with  him  when  the  alley  was  reached, 
Darden  leaned  forward  and  whispered  to  Munson, 
that,  should  the  two  attempt  to  escape  now,  it 
would  expose  these  friends  to  severe  punishment, 
for  it  would  certainly  be  taken  for  granted  that 
they  had  been  in  collusion  with  the  prisoners. 

On  arriving  at  the  Old  Capitol,  Munson  and 
Darden  along  with  thirty-six  other  captives  were 
shut  up  in  a  large  room,  the  only  window  of  which, 
by  the  irony  of  circumstance,  faced  the  bronze 
statue  of  Liberty  standing  above  the  Halls  of 
Congress.  They  afterwards  had  ample  opportun- 
ity, from  hour  to  hour,  to  inspect  her  graceful  pro- 
portions and  sadly  to  contrast  the  freedom  which 
she  suggested  with  their  own  shackled  condition. 

But  Munson  at  least  was  not  content  with  such 
reflections.  His  mind  went  to  work  at  once  re- 
volving every  possible  chance  of  escape  which  his 
eye,  roving  inquiringly  from  side  to  side,  could  detect. 
It  was,  however,  some  days  before  any  that  arose 
appeared  to  him  to  offer  the  smallest  prospect  of 
realizing  his  hopes.  But  finally  one  did  present  it- 
self.   It  seems  that  the  privilege  was  allowed  the 


208  CONFEDERATE    SOLDIERS 

group  of  captives  to  take  an  hour's  exercise  in  the 
prison  yard  at  night;  Munson  noticed  that  two 
negro  scavengers  were  admitted  at  the  same  time; 
and  he  soon  opened  up  a  conversation  with  them 
while  they  were  engaged  with  their  work.  It  was 
with  pleasure  that  he  discovered  that  one  of  the 
men  had  formerly  been  the  slave  of  a  family  in 
Virginia  whom  he  numbered  among  his  warmest 
friends;  and  this  at  once  created  a  tie  between  them 
which  he  hoped  might  be  used  to  assist  him  to 
escape. 

Allowing  some  days  to  go  by  in  order  to  make 
his  proposition  appear  less  abrupt,  he,  at  the  end 
of  that  time,  quietly  offered  the  negro  five  dollars 
in  gold  if  he  would  permit  him  to  take  a  seat  in 
the  garbage  cart  just  before  it  should  start  for  the 
outer  gate  that  night. 

"But,  boss,"  replied  the  man,  looking  at  him 
with  alarm,  "You's  a  white  man,  we's  black." 

Munson  had  not  overlooked  this  fact;  nor  had  he 
failed  to  think  of  the  remedy  for  it. 

"Leave  that  to  me,"  said  he  quietly  to  his  colored 
friend. 

Retiring  to  the  prisoner's  room,  he  took  a  piece 
of  burnt  cork  and  blackened  his  face  and  hands  so 
successfully  that  all  trace  of  his  real  color  was  con- 
cealed. Drawing  on  his  rough  rawhide  boots,  and 
pulling  his  old  hat  down  closely  over  his  shock  of 


PRIVATE  MUNSON'S  ESCAPE  209 

hair,  and  rumpling  up  his  shabby  clothes  still  more, 
he  soon  joined  the  two  negro  scavengers  in  the 
yard. 

"Whar's  you  bin?"  said  his  new  friend  loudly 
and  roughly,  "you's  bin  loafin'  sho\  Now  take  dis 
shovel  and  hustle.    We's  bin  heah  too  long  already." 

Munson  gripped  the  shovel  and  quickly  surpassed 
his  companions  in  the  quantity  of  garbage  which 
he  threw  into  the  cart.  His  vigor  seemed  to  arouse 
their  admiration,  without,  however,  in  the  slightest 
degree  exciting  their  emulation. 

When  the  load  had  been  completed,  he  took  a 
seat  beside  his  two  companions  in  front  of  the  cart, 
which  was  then  started  off  for  the  outer  gate.  They 
got  through  the  inner  one  without  a  challenge  and 
drove  up  to  the  outer.  The  heavy  iron  barrier 
swung  back  and  Munson  could  see  the  broad  street 
and  free  sky  line  spreading  away  indefinitely.  A 
heavy  blow  was  given  to  the  haunches  of  the  cart 
horse  and  they  moved  forward  to  pass  under  the 
arch  where  the  last  sentinel  was  stationed;  but  in  a 
minute,  all  the  hopes  of  the  prisoner  were  dashed, 
— a  bayonet  was  suddenly  lowered  and  pointed 
straight  at  him.  He  could  not  fail  to  observe  it  or 
the  stalwart  figure  in  uniform  which  rose  behind  it. 
The  brogue  of  the  Irish  voice  which  now  spoke 
would  have  been  sufficient  in  itself  to  stop  him. 

"Git  down  from   that,"   it   called   out,    "and  go 


210  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

back  to  your  quarters.  Two  of  yez  neegars  come 
in  and  three  of  yez  is  thrying  to  go  out." 

The  prisoner  was  compelled  to  return  crestfallen 
to  his  room,  but  the  Irish  sentinel  was  too  good 
natured  to  give  information  to  the  authorities  of  the 
supposed  negro's  attempt  to  escape.  Munson  was 
left  at  liberty  to  contrive  some  other  scheme  to 
elude  his  jailers.  Noticing  that  a  baker's  wagon  de- 
livered a  loaf  of  bread  daily  within  the  bounds,  he 
approached  the  driver  when  no  one  was  looking  on 
and  discovered  him  to  be  as  susceptible  to  a  bribe 
as  the  black  scavenger.  Having  hidden  himself 
under  a  mass  of  loaves,  which  had  been  reserved  for 
another  patron,  he  was  soon  delighted  to  find  the 
wagon  in  motion  on  its  way  to  the  outer  gate.  On 
reaching  the  barrier,  it  came  to  a  halt  under  the 
arch  as  usual  before  passing  into  the  street.  Mun- 
son could  hear  the  heavy  footfall  and  the  rattle  of 
the  sentinel's  accoutrements  as  he  strode  to  the  back 
of  the  vehicle  to  make  his  customary  examination. 
In  a  twinkling,  the  ranger  felt  his  foot  seized  in  an 
iron  grasp,  and  his  whole  body  was  quickly  dragged 
out  from  under  the  loaves. 

"The  next  time  you  thry  to  escape,  young  man," 
said  the  sentinel  drily,  "you  had  better  hide  your 
toes." 

It  was  true.  Not  only  the  toes  but  the  entire 
foot  was  exposed  to  sight  at  the  back  of  the  cart. 


PRIVATE  MUNSON'S  ESCAPE  211 

Again  the  sentinel  was  too  amiable  to  report  what 
was  apparently  a  second  prisoner's  attempt  to  get 
away;  had  he  done  so,  Munson  would  have  been 
liable  at  the  least  to  solitary  confinement  and  at 
the  most  to  the  punishment  of  death.  To  neither 
penalty  was  he  subjected  because  his  frustrated  ef- 
forts were  not  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  prison 
authorities. 

But  not  all  the  sentinels  were  so  considerate  of 
the  captives  whose  plans  they  were  able  to  thwart. 
One  of  Munson's  companions  entered  into  a  secret 
agreement  with  the  soldier  who  stood  guard  under 
his  window  to  allow  him  to  pass  after  he  lowered 
himself  to  the  ground.  Having  succeeded  in  doing 
this  by  sawing  through  the  iron  bars  and  letting 
himself  down  by  means  of  a  rope  which  he  had 
made  out  of  the  sheets  and  blankets  of  his  bed,  he 
received  a  bayonet  thrust  through  the  back  as  he 
started  to  steal  away  in  the  darkness. 

Neither  a  terrible  end  like  this,  nor  his  own  two 
failures  could  discourage  the  active  brain  and  the 
determined  spirit  of  the  youthful  ranger.  He  was 
too  accustomed  to  peril  to  shrink  long  from  any 
form  of  it,  however  imminent  and  alarming,  and 
he  was  extremely  restive  under  the  restraints  of  his 
present  situation.  For  the  third  time,  he  looked 
around  him  to  find  out  whether  there  was  not  some 
new  means  which  could  be  used  to  enable  him  to 
escape. 


212  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

His  inquiring  eye  had  noticed  that  a  hospital 
steward  visited  uic  prison  at  least  three  times  each 
day,  and  that  he  wore  on  either  arm  a  rather  un- 
usual insignia,  consisting  of  a  green  strip  at  least 
two  inches  wide,  with  a  narrower  border  of  yellow 
braid.  In  the  centre  of  this  band,  there  was  visible 
a  figure  of  Mercury  holding  a  staff  encircled  by  the 
body  of  a  snake  and  with  spreading  wings  at  the 
top.  This  design  was  also  in  yellow,  and  in  sharp 
contrast  with  the  green  tint  contiguous  to  it. 

Would  it  be  possible  to  impersonate  the  steward? 
To  do  so,  it  would  be  necessary  first  to  procure 
garments  which  at  least  sufficiently  resembled  those 
the  man  wore  to  attract  no  notice  from  the  casual 
eye.  It  happened  that  Munson  had  recently  re- 
ceived from  a  wealthy  aunt  residing  in  New  York 
a  considerable  sum  in  gold  coin  with  which  to 
supply  his  most  urgent  wants.  He  used  a  portion 
of  this  sum  in  buying  the  blue  blouse  of  a  bounty 
jumper  whom  he  had  found  in  the  prison.  His 
gray  trousers,  being  still  in  sound  condition,  were 
accepted  in  a  trade  for  a  pair  that  would  easily 
pass  as  blue  in  candle  or  gas  light. 

But  how  was  he  to  obtain  a  substitute  for  the 
green  strip  and  the  yellow  figure  of  Mercury  which 
the  steward  wore  on  each  arm? 

Was  it  possible  that  the  green  strip  could  be  cut 
from  the  linings  of  the  gray  jackets  which  his  fellow 


PRIVATE  MUNSON'S  ESCAPE  213 

Confederate  prisoners  still  used?  At  night,  when 
they  were  fast  asleep,  he  took  a  knife  and  quietly 
ripped  open  these  linings,  one  after  another,  in  his 
search  for  what  he  needed,  carefully  sewing  up  each 
one  before  beginning  on  the  next;  but  this  trouble 
was  taken  in  vain, — there  was  not  to  be  seen  even 
one  thread  colored  exactly  as  was  required.  Nor 
could  he  discover  anywhere  within  the  bounds  of 
the  prison  a  single  object  that  would  afford  him 
that  material.  Green  seemed  to  be  the  one  tint 
which  had  been  omitted  from  the  colors  of  the 
different  rooms  and  their  contents. 

During  several  days,  he  remained  in  a  state  of 
despair, — the  outlook  for  his  escape  seemed  now  to 
be  entirely  hopeless.  Happening  while  in  this  mood 
to  be  lounging  in  the  sutler's  shop,  he  listlessly  fol- 
lowed the  motions  of  the  man  as  he  took  down  from 
the  shelves  box  after  box.  Suddenly,  Munson  ob- 
served among  these  boxes,  as  they  stood  in  a  row 
on  the  counter,  one  that  had  a  cover  colored  to  the 
precise  shade  of  greenness  which  he  had  been  trying 
so  hard  to  find.  Suppressing  his  eagerness,  he  asked 
in  an  indifferent  voice: 

"Will  you  let  me  have  that  green  pasteboard  box? 
I  need  something  in  which  to  keep  my  valuables." 

The  sutler  laughed. 

"Young  man,"  he  replied,  "there  are  no  burglars 
in  this  prison.  Your  valuables  are  perfectly  safe  in 
your  pocket." 


214  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

But,  nevertheless,  he  very  kindly  and  cordially 
made  a  present  of  the  box  as  requested.  Munson 
hurried  away  with  it  to  his  room,  and  at  once,  in 
the  moonlight,  began  to  cut  the  top  in  strips  of 
the  length  desired.  To  his  delighted  astonishment, 
he  soon  discovered  that  the  body  of  the  box,  though 
covered  over  with  green,  was  really  yellow  straw- 
board  beneath  the  first  paper  layer;  and  that,  in 
dividing  it  up  into  strips,  he  had  only  to  shave 
away  this  green  edge  to  procure  the  yellow  border 
which  he  needed  for  his  insignia.  Without  any 
difficulty,  he  was  thus  able  to  manufacture  the  two 
bands  which  were  to  encircle  his  arms. 

The  Mercury,  wand,  and  serpent  required  more 
ingenuity  to  reproduce  them;  but  he  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  accomplishing  it  by  cutting  the  joint  fig- 
ures in  the  green  facing  of  the  box  and  then  peel- 
ing this  away  until  he  exposed  the  yellow  paset- 
board  beneath.  It  was  then  easy  to  repeat  the 
several  figures  in  this  yellow  material  itself.  They 
were  not  as  delicately  and  artistically  fashioned  as 
if  they  had  been  of  Florentine  origin,  but  he  trusted 
that  their  deficiencies  would  not  be  detected  by  the 
casual  glances  of  the  persons  whom  he  would  have 
to  pass  on  his  way  to  the  prison  gate. 

Dawn  was  breaking  when  he  finished  his  task. 
But  before  he  retired  to  bed,  he  put  on  the  blue 
blouse  which  he  had  bought — and  also  the  pair  of 


PRIVATE  MUNSON'S  ESCAPE  215 

trousers  which  he  had  obtained  by  exchange,  and 
having  attached  the  insignia  to  the  arms  of  the 
blouse,  took  as  discriminating  a  look  at  himself  as 
the  gray  light  of  dawn  permitted.  So  soon  as  the 
opportunity  offered,  he  spoke  to  Denis  Darden  of 
his  intentions. 

"You  are  a  dead  man  if  found  out,"  said  Darden 
in  a  warning  voice.  "The  guards  have  orders  to 
shoot  the  first  man  trying  to  escape;  and  even  if 
you  get  out  of  the  prison  safely,  it  will  be  impos- 
sible for  you  to  reach  the  other  side  of  the  Po- 
tomac." 

But  Munson  was  not  to  be  persuaded  to  abandon 
his  plan;  and  at  last  Darden  fell  in  with  it  so  far 
as  to  mention  the  names  of  several  persons  in  Wash- 
ington to  whom  he  should  apply  for  assistance, 
should  he  be  able  to  get  beyond  the  outer  gate  of 
the  prison.  That  evening,  just  before  the  candles 
were  lighted,  the  ranger  put  on  the  blouse  and 
trousers;  and  having  covered  up  these  garments 
and  the  insignia  on  his  arms  by  donning  an  over- 
coat lent  him  by  one  of  his  companions,  he  went 
out  into  the  prison  yard,  accompanied  by  Darden, 
as  if  both  intended  to  take  the  exercise  permitted 
at  that  hour.  The  sentinel,  thinking  that  this  was 
their  purpose  as  usual,  allowed  them  to  pass  with- 
out a  challenge.  On  reaching  the  dark  shadow  of 
the  wall  in  the  yard,   Munson  pulled  off  the  over- 


216  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

coat  and  handed  it  to  Darden,  who,  having  silently 
received  it,  turned  away,  overcome  with  emotion, 
to  retrace  his  steps  to  the  prison  room. 

Brave  as  Munson  was,  he  afterwards  acknowledged 
that  he  was  fairly  benumbed  by  his  consciousness 
of  uncertainty  as  he  approached  the  door  of  the 
long  hall  through  which  he  had  to  pass  before  he 
could  reach  the  prison  gate.  As  he  entered,  the 
sentinel  glanced  at  him  a  second  and  then  turned 
his  eyes  away  with  indifference.  Encouraged  by 
this  unsuspicious  reception,  the  ranger  threw  out 
his  breast,  and  so  held  off  his  arms  that  the  insignia 
came  into  conspicuous  view  as  he  moved  down  the 
crowded  apartment  on  his  way  to  the  further  door. 
No  one  stopped  or  spoke  to  him;  it  was  simply 
taken  for  granted  by  those  who  knew  the  hospital 
steward  personally  that  this  new  man  was  acting  as 
his  substitute,  either  on  this  single  occasion  or  for 
several  days,  while  his  superior  was  enjoying  a  short 
holiday.  The  inner  guards  bowed  respectfully  as  he 
went  by  and  bade  him  good  night;  and  he  made 
his  way  with  equal  ease  through  the  group  of  the 
relief  force  which  was  just  about  to  come  on  to 
take  their  place.  He  was  now  approaching  the  pre- 
cincts of  the  outer  gate,  where  he  had  been  stopped 
twice  when  on  the  very  eve  of  escape  and  ignomin- 
iously  sent  back  to  his  former  bounds.  It  seemed 
to   him   that   he   could   already   feel    the   fresh   air 


PRIVATE  MUNSON'S  ESCAPE  217 

from  the  open  world  outside  blowing  against  his 
cheek;  that  he  could  see  the  lamps  shining  from  the 
tops  of  their  posts;  and  hear  the  noise  of  hurrying 
feet,  and  rolling  wheels,  and  all  the  other  varied 
sounds  that  echo  along  the  streets.  Would  he  be 
again  halted  when  he  had  only  one  step  to  take  to 
win  his  old  liberty  of  life? 

Whatever  apprehension  he  might  have  felt  at  the 
moment,  there  was  no  indication  of  fear  or  uncer- 
tainty in  his  bearing  as  he  came  in  sight  of  the 
guard  who  was  charged  with  opening  and  closing 
the  street  gate.  This  man  did  not  recognize  him 
or  glance  at  him  with  suspicion;  slipping  the  bolt 
back  and  bowing  politely  to  the  disguised  prisoner, 
he  allowed  him  to  pass  out  without  one  word  except 
a  friendly  "Good  night,  Sir,"  which  was  repeated 
by  the  sentinel  standing  under  the  outer  arch.  The 
bolt  clicked  sharply  behind  Munson  and  he  was 
once  more  a  free  man  in  the  world  at  large. 

But  where  was  he  to  go?  There  could  not  have 
been  for  him  a  more  dangerous  place  than  this  city 
through  which  he  was  now  called  upon  to  thread 
his  way  if  he  was  to  escape  to  the  hills  beyond  the 
Potomac.  It  was  full  of  soldiers  and  persons  in  the 
civil  service  of  the  Government,  all  of  whom  were 
enemies  so  unrelenting  that,  if  they  were  to  meet 
him  on  the  street  and  should  see  into  his  real  char- 
acter, they  would  have  him  arrested  on  the  spot. 


218  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

How  was  he  to  find  his  way  to  the  houses  of  the 
people  who  had  been  recommended  by  Darden  as 
certain  to  give  him  an  asylum?  He  was  without 
any  knowledge  at  all  of  the  streets  of  Washington, 
and  he  ran  a  serious  risk,  should  he  inquire  of  the 
foot  passengers  whom  he  should  encounter,  for 
this  would  indicate  at  once  that  he  was  a  stranger 
in  town  at  a  time  when  all  strangers  in  the  capital 
were  looked  upon  with  suspicion.  But  there  was  no 
other  course  for  him  to  pursue.  Tearing  the  insignia 
from  his  arms,  which  he  had  forgotten  to  do  while 
meditating,  he  started  off  in  the  direction  in  which 
he  supposed  the  boarding  house  kept  by  the  lady 
whom  Darden  knew  as  a  Southern  sympathizer 
was  situated.  In  asking  the  way,  he  was  prudent 
enough  to  mention  only  the  number  of  the  house. 
On  reaching  it,  and  ringing  the  bell,  he  was  met  at 
the  door  by  a  negro  servant. 

"I  don't  reckon  you  kin  see  de  Missis  at  dis' 
hour,"  he  said,  looking  the  ranger  over  from  head 
to  foot  very  superciliously.  "Your  name,  sah,  if 
you  please." 

In  a  short  time,  the  lady  appeared.  Munson 
whispered  in  her  ear. 

"Never  heard  of  you,"  she  answered  in  a  tone  of 
agitation.  "George,"  she  said,  sharply  turning  to 
the  servant,  "go  up  stairs  and  shut  that  window." 

When  the  negro  had  reluctantly  disappeared,  the 
lady  drew  Munson  into  the  hall. 


PRIVATE  MUN SON'S  ESCAPE  219 

"Do  you  want  money?"  she  asked  hastily,  and 
before  she  could  receive  a  reply,  had  pressed  a  roll 
of  greenbacks  into  his  hand;  but  he  quickly  returned 
them. 

"No,  I  only  wish  you  to  conceal  me  for  a  day  or 
two,  or  at  least  for  the  night." 

"Impossible.  I  am  suspected  as  a  Southern  spy, 
and  this  house  will  be  the  first  place  searched  when 
your  escape  is  known." 

She  then  gave  him  the  name  of  a  Southern  sym- 
pathizer who  would  probably  afford  him  a  hiding 
place  until  he  could  leave  the  city  with  safety. 
Catching  the  footfall  of  the  servant  coming  down 
the  stairway,  she  pretended  to  shuffle  Munson  un- 
ceremoniously out  of  the  doorway,  and  as  he  de- 
scended the  steps,  he  heard  her  scolding  the  negro 
and  threatening  to  dismiss  him  if  he  admitted 
another  tramp  to  the  house. 

It  was  not  until  the  ranger  had  visited  at  least 
four  other  houses,  and  been  turned  away  with  the 
same  anxiety  and  agitation  from  all,  that  he  at 
last  received  a  cordial  invitation  to  remain  from  the 
warm-hearted  mother  and  sister  of  Denis  Darden; 
but  he  knew  that  their  house  would  be  among  the 
very  first  to  be  ransacked  for  his  capture.  By  this 
time,  the  roll  had  been  called  at  the  prison  and  his 
absence  discovered.  Already  the  pursuers  must  be 
out    on    the   streets    and    going    through    suspected 


220  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

residences  in  the  hope  of  catching  him  before  he 
could  cross  the  Potomac. 

He  had  now  but  one  more  number  to  look  up, 
and  should  the  people  there  turn  their  backs  on 
him,  he  would  be  left  without  any  possible  refuge. 
As  he  made  his  way  thither  by  the  directions  which 
Mrs.  Darden  had  given,  he  kept  to  the  darkest 
streets  and  alleys,  and  avoided  passing  through 
groups  of  people  who  might  scrutinize  him  too  cur- 
iously. The  house  which  he  was  endeavoring  to 
find  was  the  "palace"  of  a  gambler  named  Luns- 
ford,  which  was  one  of  the  most  notorious  resorts 
of  the  capital,  and  at  night  was  haunted  by  many 
dissipated  military  officers  and  civil  officials.  He 
loitered  in  the  neighborhood  until  midnight  and  then 
boldly  entered.  A  miscellaneous  crowd  of  men  was 
present,  among  whom  he  noticed  many  Federal  uni- 
forms, which  made  his  own  blue  blouse  less  con- 
spicuous. Lunsford  having  been  pointed  out  to  him, 
he  went  straight  up  to  the  gambler,  and  in  a  whis- 
per, informed  him  of  his  predicament. 

"Turned  away  five  times!"  exclaimed  Lunsford 
in  low  tones.  "Served  you  right.  Why  did  you 
not  come  to  me  first?  Denis  must  have  told  you 
that  I  could  be  trusted.  Confound  you,  the  delay 
may  cost  you  your  liberty.  Now  go  right  in  that 
back  room  and  get  some  grub,  and  prepare  to  light 
out  from  Washington  before  daybreak." 


PRIVATE  MUNSON'S  ESCAPE  221 

As  soon  as  Munson  had  swallowed  his  supper, 
the  gambler  put  his  manager  in  charge  of  the  estab- 
lishment for  the  rest  of  the  night  and  started  with 
the  ranger  for  Georgetown. 

"Let  us  get  away  as  quietly  as  we  can,"  he  said. 
"Some  of  those  soldiers  in  the  room  next  to  ours 
were  sent  there  to  look  out  for  you." 

It  was  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  when  they 
drew  up  at  a  small  hotel  in  Georgetown  which  was 
under  the  management  of  a  Frenchman.  Thrust- 
ing a  roll  of  bills  into  Munson's  hands  and  directing 
his  host  to  keep  him  in  hiding  until  he  could  pro- 
vide a  safe  escort  across  the  river,  the  generous 
and  kind-hearted  gambler  jumped  into  his  buggy 
and  returned  at  once  to  Washington. 

It  was  a  difficult  undertaking  to  find  a  person  not 
likely  to  excite  the  suspicions  of  the  sentinels  who 
would  have  to  be  passed  along  the  road  to  the 
bridge.  But  finally,  an  arrangement  was  made  with 
a  countryman  who  visited  the  city  daily  to  sell  the 
produce  of  his  market  garden;  and  even  in  his  case 
it  was  not  until  his  wavering  purpose  had  been 
braced  by  the  gift  of  a  bottle  of  brandy  that  he 
consented  to  run  so  serious  a  risk  to  his  own  lib- 
erty. It  was  first  decided  that  Munson  should  pose 
as  the  old  man's  son;  and  the  two  then  mounted 
the  cart  and  set  out.  It  was  not  until  the  last 
picket  was  reached  that  any  delay  in  their  progress 
occurred. 


222  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

"Where  did  you  get  that  boy  from,  farmer?"  he 
asked  suspiciously,  when  he  had  ordered  the  cart  to 
be  stopped.  "He  was  not  with  you  when  you 
passed  here  this  morning." 

The  old  fellow  swore  loudly  to  the  contrary;  but 
the  picket  continued  for  some  time  to  look  incred- 
ulously at  Munson.  Finally,  he  grew  friendly  and 
asked  for  a  drink. 

"I  am  a  temperance  man,"  replied  the  market 
gardener,  "I  never  took  a  drop  in  my  life." 

In  the  end,  they  were  permitted  to  go  on. 

As  soon  as  the  picket  was  lost  to  sight  by  a  turn 
in  the  road,  the  old  man  very  cautiously  drew  the 
brandy  bottle  from  his  pocket. 

"Sonny,"  he  said,  with  a  wink  at  Munson,  after 
he  had  swallowed  a  long  draught,  "if  you  was  as 
badly  scared  as  I  was  just  now,  you'd  be  mighty 
glad  to  take  a  swig  out  of  this  bottle,  young  as  yer 
is." 

There  were  two  important  difficulties  which  the 
ranger,  after  parting  with  the  market  gardener,  had 
to  overcome  if  he  was  to  succeed  in  returning  to  his 
command, — he  had  to  avoid  all  pickets  and  strag- 
gling troopers;  and  he  had  also  to  obtain  food  along 
the  road  from  day  to  day. 

Pursuing  the  safest  route,  he  went  back  across  the 
Potomac  after  arriving  at  a  point  opposite  Mont- 
gomery county  in  Maryland.     As  he  was  tramping 


PRIVATE  MUNSON'S  ESCAPE  223 

along,  tired  in  body  and  very  unkempt  in  appear- 
ance, he  overtook  a  Federal  rural  guard,  who  was 
making  his  daily  round  on  horseback.  They  at  once 
fell  into  conversation,  in  the  course  of  which  the 
man  gave  him  a  friendly  warning. 

"Be  careful,  my  boy,"  he  said,  "to  keep  away 
from  the  river.  The  pickets  might  take  you  for  a 
rebel  and  shoot  you.  Suppose  you  let  me  show  you 
the  right  way  for  you  to  go.  I  can  accompany  you 
some  distance." 

The  ground  on  either  side  of  the  road  was  covered 
with  a  thick  mantle  of  snow,  and  the  roadbed  itself 
was  very  slippery  from  a  coating  of  ice.  Munson, 
every  now  and  then,  would  lose  his  footing,  and  he 
only  prevented  himself  from  falling  by  grasping  the 
neck  of  the  horse  or  the  trooper's  leg  or  saddle.  In 
doing  this,  in  one  instance,  his  hand  struck  the 
guard's  holster;  immediately  the  thought  flashed 
through  his  mind:  why  not  grab  the  pistol,  shoot 
the  man,  and  take  possession  of  his  carbine,  horse, 
and  warm  coat?  He  would,  with  such  an  equip- 
ment, find  no  difficulty  in  escaping  quietly  from  the 
hostile  region  through  which  he  was  travelling  so 
slowly  and  so  laboriously.  It  was  now  night,  but 
he  could  easily  see,  in  the  light  of  the  moon,  the 
weapon  swung  at  the  guard's  back,  which  would 
have  assured  him  protection  from  recapture  even  if 
he   were    detained    in    that    dangerous    country    for 


224  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

some  time  by  the  risk  of  running  upon  the  pickets 
along  the  river. 

As  they  moved  on,  Munson  noticed  that  the 
trooper's  foot  had  slipped  from  the  stirrup.  A  sud- 
den and  vigorous  pull  by  the  ankle,  and  the  horse- 
man might  be  drawn  in  a  struggling  heap  to  the 
ground  and  dispatched.  There  was  a  large  tree  just 
ahead,  and  in  its  deep  shadow  the  first  grasp  might 
be  taken  before  the  man  would  have  the  smallest 
suspicion  of  his  intention. 

The  ranger  had  fully  resolved  to  venture  it,  when 
the  trooper,  observing  his  silence,  leaned  over  from 
his  horse  and  said  in  a  very  kindly  voice: 

"If  you  are  tired,  comrade,  I  will  walk  and  let 
you  ride  a  spell.  I  guess  it  must  be  pretty  toilsome 
jogging  along  these  frozen  roads." 

At  once,  all  thought  of  harming  the  man  vanished 
from  Munson's  mind;  and  when  they  parted,  they 
shook  hands  with  the  warmth  and  sympathy  of  a 
friendship  that  had  been  tested  by  an  equal  share 
in  the  hard  conditions  of  war.  The  trooper  never 
knew  that  he  had,  on  that  occasion,  looked  squarely 
in  the  face  of  Death  for  several  minutes;  and  that 
his  own  kindly  spirit  alone  had  saved  him  from  the 
fatal  blow. 

On  approaching  the  banks  of  the  Potomac,  Mun- 
son directed  his  steps  towards  the  home  of  a  South- 
ern sympathizer,  who  had  been  recommended  to  him 


PRIVATE  MUNSON'S  ESCAPE  225 

by  his  host  in  Georgetown.  Here  he  was  received 
with  warm  hospitality,  and  was  generously  provided 
with  an  abundance  of  thick  clothing  to  keep  out 
the  chill  of  the  biting  weather  when  he  should  con- 
tinue his  journey  into  Virginia. 

The  second  night,  he  set  out  for  the  Potomac, 
but  before  reaching  it  was  compelled  to  hide  him- 
self behind  a  high  rock  to  avoid  being  seen  by  two 
Federal  pickets  who  happened  to  be  passing.  Leav- 
ing his  place  of  concealment  when  the  voices  had 
died  away,  he  walked  down  cautiously  to  the  river- 
side to  find  that  the  thaw  which  had  begun  that 
morning  had  so  far  weakened  the  ice  still  covering 
the  surface  that  he  could  hear  it  crackling  and 
growling  as  if  it  were  about  to  break  up.  But  it 
was  now  too  late  to  hesitate.  He  started  out  to 
cross  over,  and  as  he  gingerly  went  along,  the  sheet 
beneath  his  feet  would  hum  and  warp  to  such  a 
degree  that  he  was  apprehensive  less  he  should  sink 
into  the  running  water  at  the  next  step.  At  one 
point,  he  slipped  and  fell,  but  the  ice  there  was 
strong  enough  to  bear  the  weight  of  the  blow,  and 
he  picked  himself  up  and  set  out  again  for  the  Vir- 
ginia side. 

To  add  to  the  risk  of  the  passage,  he  could  see  the 
fires  of  the  Federal  pickets  shining  here  and  there 
along  either  shore;  and  he  had  reason  to  fear  that 
his    figure,    outlined   against   the    night   sky   as   he 


226  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

advanced,  might  have  been  observed  and  steps 
taken  to  intercept  him  so  soon  as  he  should  reach 
the  bank.  But  on  leaving  the  ice,  he  met  no  guard 
to  challenge  and  stop  him,  and  he  silently  took 
refuge  in  the  nearest  wood  under  the  screen  of  dark- 
ness. 

On  the  journey  to  Leesburg,  he  was  forced  to  con- 
ceal himself  from  time  to  time  in  thick  bushes  to 
escape  the  eyes  of  Federal  raiders;  and  the  house  in 
the  town  where  he  passed  a  night  was  subjected  to 
a  search  while  he  was  hidden  in  one  of  the  closets. 

On  joining  Mosby  at  Upperville,  his  first  inquiry 
was  about  the  fate  of  the  mare  which  had  thrown 
him  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  by  balking  at  the 
stone  wall.  He  was  told,  to  his  delight,  that  she 
had  followed  in  the  track  of  the  flying  troopers 
and  had  been  caught  and  led  in  by  one  of  his  com- 
rades. When  he  visited  the  stable  where  she  was 
kept,  the  mare  recognized  him  at  once  and  showed 
her  pleasure  at  the  sight  of  him  by  a  loud  whinny. 
He  threw  his  arms  around  her  neck,  and  was  not 
afterwards  ashamed  to  admit,  that,  in  his  relief,  he 
had  given  away  to  a  hearty  cry. 


CHAPTER  XII 
Adventures  of  a  Scout 


CHAPTER  XII 
ADVENTURES  OF  A  SCOUT 

The  single  purpose  which  every  scout  had  in  view 
was  to  collect  information  for  the  guidance  of  his 
superior  officer.  He  was  sometimes  accompanied  by 
several  comrades,  but,  as  a  rule,  he  preferred  to 
wander  about  alone,  either  on  foot  or  on  horseback; 
relying  upon  no  arm  but  his  own;  trusting  to  no 
weapons  but  his  revolver  and  his  sabre;  and  leaving 
it  to  no  mind  and  no  eye  to  direct  his  footsteps 
except  those  with  which  nature  had  endowed  him. 
He  always  felt  indifference  to  or  contempt  for  dan- 
ger, since  danger  was  the  only  atmosphere  which  he 
breathed;  and  his  thirst  for  adventure  was  un- 
quenchable, although  every  hour  of  his  life  was 
crowded  with  reckless  exploits  and  hair-breadth  es- 
capes. 

The  scout  was  always  a  man  who  appeared  to 
have  been  born  for  his  perilous  calling;  he  took  it 
up,  not  with  the  hope  of  promotion,  or  even  with  a 
desire  to  fulfill  a  sense  of  duty,  but  rather  in  the 
spirit  which  can  find  no  satisfaction  in  existence 
unless  it  is  keyed  up  to  the  highest  pitch,  like  the 
life  of  the  roving  knight-at-arms  in  the  Age  of 
Chivalry. 


230  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

He  advanced  and  retreated;  he  made  his  way  to 
this  region  or  to  that;  he  bivouacked  or  moved  on 
just  as  his  own  judgment  dictated  at  the  moment. 
He  haunted  the  woods  and  the  brakes  like  the  sylvan 
gods  of  antiquity,  who  drew  a  contented  breath 
only  in  the  shade  of  the  trees.  His  step  was  as  soft 
and  noiseless  as  the  footfall  of  a  faun  or  a  hare;  his 
eye  as  keen  in  its  glance  and  as  unceasingly  watch- 
ful as  the  eye  of  a  furtive  lynx  that  had  been  able 
to  preserve  its  life  only  by  sleepless  vigilance;  his 
tongue  as  silent  as  that  of  the  cunning  fox  stalking 
its  prey.  He  never  lay  down  in  his  blanket  under 
the  screen  of  the  densest  copse  of  pine  or  scrub  oak 
to  snatch  a  short  sleep  that  he  did  not  keep  one 
ear  open  tor  the  crackling  of  a  twig  or  the  echo  of 
a  far-away  shot. 

There  was  not  a  hog-path  in  the  forest,  not  a 
deer-walk  running  down  to  some  shady  stream,  not 
a  woodchopper's  road  winding  aimlessly  about 
through  the  dark  underbrush,  that  he  did  not  know 
by  the  yard  and  by  the  mile.  During  night  and 
day,  he  prowled  like  an  invisible  ghost  around  the 
enemy's  camps,  peeping  warily  out  from  behind  a 
bush  or  rock,  without  ever  showing  his  face  or  using 
his  voice  even  in  a  whispered  exclamation  to  himself, 
and  with  his  whole  being  concentrated  in  his  eyes. 

All  this  time,  his  horse  was  tethered  somewhere 
deep  in  the  forest,  where  it  patiently  waited  for  the 
return  of  his  prying  master. 


ADVENTURES  OF  A  SCOUT  231 

Should  the  enemy  come  suddenly  and  unexpectedly 
upon  him,  which  rarely  happened,  and  he  fell,  then 
his  body  lay  where  it  dropped,  and  there  were  no 
soldier's  hands  to  gather  up  his  bones  from  the 
bleaching  wind  and  sunshine.  He  died  alone  as  he 
had  lived.  He  had  been  a  solitary  rover,  and  his 
fate  remained  a  mystery  like  the  exploits  of  his 
secretive  career. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  he  survived  the  encounters 
which  he  could  not  always  avoid,  however  great  his 
caution  and  his  prudence,  then  he  returned  to  the 
headquarters  of  his  commanding  officer  without 
looking  upon  the  facts  accompanying  his  escape  as 
of  sufficient  importance  or  novelty  to  be  related  to 
his  comrades.  Was  not  dangerous  adventure  the 
routine  of  his  existence?  Why  should  he  talk  of 
that  which  was  so  constant  and  so  habitual?  He 
simply  took  it  all  for  granted,  and  rarely  spoke, 
even  with  the  most  modest  words,  of  the  perilous 
scenes  through  which  he  had  passed,  or  of  the  risks 
which  he  had  been  compelled  to  run  at  every  hour 
of  his  wanderings. 

Such  was  the  type  to  which  the  flower  of  Con- 
federate scouts,  Frank  Stringfellow,  belonged.  No 
hero  in  the  pages  of  Scott,  Stevenson,  or  Dumas 
ever  found  himself  in  more  hazardous  situations,  as 
imagined  by  those  authors,  than  this  young  Virgin- 
ian did  in  reality  in  the  course  of  the  Civil  War. 


232  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

Two  of  his  adventures,  picked  out  of  the  great 
number  that  might  be  selected,  are  of  particular 
interest. 

In  November,  1863,  Meade  lay  encamped  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Culpeper  Court-House.  Large 
bodies  of  Federal  troops  were  stationed  at  different 
points,  but  so  near  together  that  they  could  be 
further  concentrated  for  attack,  if  desired,  within 
a  very  short  time.  What  were  the  designs  of  the 
Federal  General  as  revealed  by  his  movements? 
That  was  a  question  which  General  Lee  wished  to 
have  answered,  and  as  the  first  step  towards  ob- 
taining the  information  wanted,  Stringfellow,  ac- 
companied by  two  comrades,  was  sent  out  to  prowl 
around  the  Federal  posts  and  to  discover  what 
should  appear  to  be  the  enemy's  immediate  inten- 
tions. 

The  three  men,  mounted  on  spirited  and  well- 
trained  horses,  made  straight  for  one  of  the  largest 
of  the  Federal  camps.  Some  time  before  they 
came  in  sight  of  it,  they  leaped  from  their  saddles, 
tied  their  horses  in  a  covert,  and  stole  cautiously 
through  the  underbrush  towards  the  quarter  from 
which  sounds  of  the  presence  of  troops  came.  At 
last  a  small  opening  in  the  trees  revealed  to  them 
the  spectacle  of  an  encampment  which  appeared  to 
cover  many  acres  with  the  white  canvas  tops  of  its 
tents.    A    closer    view    brought    out    all    the    usual 


ADVENTURES  OF  A  SCOUT  233 

features  of  such  a  station, — the  sentinels  pacing 
their  several  beats;  the  soldiers  lounging  singly  or 
in  groups  around  their  separate  areas;  the  officers 
passing  to  and  fro  or  engaged  in  conversation  with 
each  other. 

Throughout  the  day,  Stringfellow  and  his  com- 
panions, quietly  and  without  being  observed,  circled 
about  the  spot  with  the  purpose  of  calculating  as 
far  as  practicable  the  number  of  men  embraced  in 
the  assemblage  before  them.  Towards  night,  they 
retired  to  a  place  lying  some  distance  back,  in  the 
hope  that  they  would  be  able  to  encounter  here 
stragglers,  who  might  be  captured  without  alarming 
their  comrades.  It  was  from  such  stragglers  that 
they  were  certain  to  obtain  information  which 
would  confirm  or  disprove  the  correctness  of  their 
impressions  of  what  they  had  already  seen.  For- 
agers were  always  abroad  in  the  vicinity  of  so  large 
a  camp,  and  it  was  possible  that  they  might  be 
easily  seized  and  held,  as  they  were  often  simply 
the  unarmed  hangers-on  of  the  sutler's  department. 

The  three  scouts  had  been  moving  about  so 
energetically  for  many  hours  that  they  decided  that 
they  would  lie  down  for  a  short  rest;  and  they 
chose,  with  that  view,  a  spot  which  was  completely 
encircled  by  a  dense  growth  of  trees.  It  was  now 
night,  and  the  air  had  grown  so  damp  and  so  cold 
that   they   determined   to   light   a    fire,   which   they 


234  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

thought  would  be  fully  screened  from  sight  without. 
Their  fatigue  and  the  grateful  warmth  combined 
made  them  drowsy  at  once,  and  not  many  minutes 
had  passed  before  the  three  were  fast  asleep  wrapped 
in  their  blankets.  So  sound  was  their  slumber  that 
they  were  not  awakened  by  a  rain  which  set  in,  and 
they  continued  to  lie  just  as  they  had  thrown  them- 
selves down  on  the  ground  until  day  had  dawned. 
At  that  early  hour,  a  squad  of  six  Federal  infantry- 
men set  out  from  camp  to  scour  the  country  for 
butter,  eggs,  and  poultry,  and  on  their  way,  they 
stumbled  upon  the  hiding  place  of  the  three  Con- 
federates. Stringfellow  was  awakened  by  a  hand 
removing  his  blanket,  which  he  had  drawn  over  his 
face. 

"How  are  you,  Johnny  Reb,"  exclaimed  a  derisive 
voice.  "Come  get  up.  These  wet  quarters  are  not 
comfortable  enough  for  you.  We  can  do  a  great 
deal  better  than  this  for  you  in  the  camp." 

Stringfellow  blinked  as  if  he  were  still  half  asleep, 
but  he  was  taking  in,  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning 
and  the  furtiveness  of  a  hunted  catamount,  the 
figures  before  him  and  weighing  the  chances  of 
escaping.  He  had  resolved  that  he  would  not  sur- 
render. His  companions  had  not  been  aroused, 
and  if  he  had  to  act  quickly,  no  reliance  was  to  be 
placed  on  their  assistance.  Closing  his  eyes  and 
drawing  his  blanket  more  closely  about  his  form,  he 


ADVENTURES  OF  A  SCOUT  235 

turned  over  as  if  to  resume  his  interrupted  slumber. 

"Go  away,"  he  muttered  drowsily,  "I  want  to 
sleep." 

The  Federal  soldiers  laughed  immoderately  at  this 
speech,  and  before  they  could  recover  their  gravity, 
the  scout  had  reached  down  to  his  belt  and  laid 
his  fingers  on  the  hilt  of  his  pistol.  As  he  did  so, 
he  drew  a  long  breath  and  pulled  the  blanket  further 
up  over  his  head  in  order  to  conceal  the  movement 
of  his  free  hand.  By  a  second  movement,  he  drew 
the  pistol  from  its  holster  and  quietly  cocked  it. 

Hardly  had  this  been  done  when  the  leader  of 
the  Federal  squad  grasped  the  blanket  and  roughly 
dragged  it  away.  Immediately,  a  shot  rang  out, 
and  he  fell  dead  across  the  body  of  the  prone  scout; 
a  fact  that  saved  the  latter,  for  the  other  Federals, 
in  their  astonishment,  fired  off  their  revolvers  so 
confusedly  that  only  the  corpse  of  their  comrade 
was  struck.  As  Stringfellow  leaped  to  his  feet,  he 
discharged  his  pistol  at  one  of  his  assailants  bringing 
him  to  his  knees;  and  a  shot  at  a  second  one  was 
equally  successful.  The  remaining  men  took  to 
their  heels.  As  the  camp  was  very  near,  the  scout 
was  well  aware  that  within  a  few  minutes  an  entire 
company  of  pursuers  would  be  hot  on  the  trail  of 
the  three  Confederates. 

As  soon  as  the  Federal  soldiers  ran  off,  Stringfel- 
low's  two  companions,  without  stopping  to  wait  for 


236  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

him  or  to  bring  away  their  holsters  and  blankets, 
fled  to  the  nearest  forest,  but  with  so  little  atten- 
tion to  each  other's  movements  that  they  rushed 
off  in  different  directions. 

Before  lying  down  to  sleep  the  night  before, 
Stringfellow  had  taken  off  his  shoes,  and  he  now 
found  himself  in  his  socks,  which,  however  much 
it  might  at  first  quicken  his  flight,  would  soon  ex- 
pose his  feet  to  sharp  laceration,  and  thus  in  the 
end  seriously  impede  his  progress;  but  he  had  no 
time  to  think  of  this;  and  following  the  example  of 
his  companions,  he  made  for  the  nearest  covert  as 
promising  the  earliest  concealment. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  enraged  pursuers  had  started 
from  the  camp,  and  they  had  scattered  at  once  so 
widely  that,  unless  the  scout  could  make  his  way 
towards  the  mountains,  every  avenue  of  escape 
would  be  closed;  and  even  this  avenue  appeared  a 
few  minutes  later  to  be  shut  when  he  saw  a  squad 
of  cavalry  galloping  towards  the  foothills  to  cut 
him  off  from  that  asylum.  He  knew  that  he  was 
now  entirely  surrounded  and  that  nothing  but  the 
coolness  of  his  own  nerve  and  his  skill  in  wood- 
craft could  save  him  from  capture;  which  he  was 
fully  aware  would  mean  that  he  would  be  shot  as 
a  guerrilla;  for  while  he  still  had  on  his  Confederate 
uniform,  a  proof  that  he  was  not  a  spy,  yet  he  had 
been  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  largest  of  the 


ADVENTURES  OF  A  SCOUT  237 

Federal  camps,  and  had  shot  down  a  Federal  soldier. 
He  made  up  his  mind  that  he  would  either  get 
safely  away  or  kill  as  many  of  the  enemy  as  he 
could  before  he  yielded  up  his  own  life.  It  was  not 
the  first  time  that  he  had  been  in  imminent  peril, 
and  now,  as  formerly,  he  did  not  despair  of  escap- 
ing. 

He  quickly  found  himself  in  a  large  wood,  and  as 
he  ran  forward  with  bare  head  and  shoeless  feet,  he 
could  hear  the  enemy  behind  him  and  on  either 
side  shouting  to  each  other,  as  they  beat  the  covert, 
just  as  if  he  were  some  wild  beast  that  could  be 
forced  out  of  his  hiding  place  and  shot  as  he  leaped 
madly  into  view.  Like  a  fox  followed  by  a  pack  of 
hounds  hot  upon  its  scent,  he  turned,  doubled,  and 
circled,  in  the  hope  of  throwing  the  pursuers  off  his 
track.  He  was  soon  driven  out  of  that  part  of  the 
wood  where  there  was  a  heavy  undergrowth,  and 
unless  he  could  get  away  from  among  the  open 
trees,  the  trunks  of  which  alone  afforded  him  any 
cover,  he  would  be  seen,  and  either  shot  from  a 
distance  or  run  down  and  seized. 

The  edge  of  the  forest  was  now  only  a  few  hun- 
dred feet  away,  and  he  descried  in  the  open  field 
which  began  at  the  end  of  this  space  a  small  clump 
of  stunted  pine;  and  for  this  refuge  he  made  with 
all  the  speed  of  which  he  was  capable.  Leaping 
into  the  copse   unobserved,   he   hid    himself  in   the 


238  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

bushy  top  of  a  fallen  tree  and  listened  for  the 
sounds  of  the  approaching  pursuers.  If  found,  his 
fate  would  be  hopeless,  and  in  order  to  make  the 
enemy  pay  dearly  for  his  life,  he  reloaded  his  pistol 
and  carefully  inspected  its  caps;  and  when  he  saw 
that  all  was  in  perfect  order,  he  placed  himself  in 
such  a  position  that  he  could  fire  on  the  instant. 

Hardly  had  he  effected  this,  when  four  Federal 
soldiers  left  the  wood  and  came  straight  towards 
the  spot  where  he  was  concealed.  Seemingly,  they 
all  passed  by  the  clump  of  pines  without  stopping 
to  make  a  search.  Stringfellow,  raising  his  head  to 
ascertain  whether  this  was  so,  caught  the  eye  of 
one  of  them  who  had  loitered  behind  the  rest. 

"Here  he  is,  here  he  is,"  shouted  the  man  to  his 
companions,  and  numerous  voices  responded  from 
every  direction  to  the  triumphant  cry. 

The  scout  leaped  to  his  feet,  pistol  in  hand,  and 
for  a  moment  he  stood  with  his  eyes  fixed  directly 
on  the  eyes  of  his  nearest  adversary;  who  appeared 
to  be  afraid  to  approach  any  closer  until  he  could 
have  the  support  of  his  comrades.  The  same  feel- 
ing evidently  governed  the  other  three  men  when 
they  had  run  back  to  the  spot.  Here  was  a  desper- 
ate guerrilla  to  deal  with,  and  they  all  silently  de- 
cided that  it  would  be  best  to  await  the  arrival  of 
the  other  soldiers,  who  were  now  seen  rushing  to- 
wards them  through  the  wood.    Already  the  scout 


ADVENTURES  OF  A  SCOUT  239 

was  surrounded,  and  in  a  few  minutes,  the  strength 
of  the  cordon  would  be  increased  an  hundred  fold. 

"Oh,  for  a  horse,"  was  the  thought  that  was 
uppermost  in  his  mind  as  he  gazed  around  at  his 
enemies!  His  feet  had  been  lacerated  by  stones  and 
rough  ground  in  the  course  of  his  flight,  and  he 
felt  as  if  his  ability  to  run  further  was  almost  spent. 
There  seemed  now  at  last  to  be  left  to  him  not  the 
smallest  avenue  of  escape. 

He  looked  around  with  the  gaze  of  sharp  despair 
when  he  saw  in  the  field  not  far  off  a  young  mule, 
which  had  been  turned  out  without  bridle  or  halter 
to  crop  the  grass.  With  a  jump  forward  and  a 
loud  shout,  the  scout  made  for  the  animal  as  fast 
as  his  legs  could  carry  him.  The  suddenness  of  his 
action  and  the  rapidity  of  his  movements  so  con- 
fused the  aim  of  his  enemies  that  their  fusillade  of 
shots  failed  to  strike  him. 

Mounting  to  the  back  of  the  mule  at  a  bound, 
the  scout  dug  his  feet  into  its  sides,  and  these  blows, 
coupled  with  the  fright  which  had  been  given  it  by 
the  scout's  wild  leap,  sent  it  galloping  away,  with 
its  rider,  hatless  and  shoeless,  clinging  with  one 
hand  to  its  mane,  and  with  the  other,  grasping  the 
butt  of  his  pistol.  Recovering  from  its  astonishment 
after  it  had  run  for  a  considerable  distance,  the  mule 
stopped  and  began  to  kick  up  its  heels  and  to  arch 
its  back,  in  a  determined  effort  to  throw  the  scout; 


240  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

and  as  the  latter  had  no  means  of  keeping  his  very 
difficult  seat,  he  very  soon  found  himself  lying  flat 
on  the  ground;  but  in  a  twinkling,  he  arose  to  his 
feet,  and  followed  by  the  shouts  and  shots  of  the 
enemy,  who  had  again  taken  up  the  pursuit,  he  ran 
into  a  large  body  of  woods  that  sprang  up  on  the 
other  side  of  the  open  field. 

For  some  time,  he  fled  through  this  forest  at  the 
top  of  his  speed,  but  gradually  his  sense  of  fatigue 
grew  overwhelming  and  he  felt  faint  from  his  exer- 
tions. Now  for  the  first  moment  too  he  became 
conscious  of  a  burning  thirst.  His  run  fell  off  to  a 
walk,  and  he  looked  about  to  find  a  stream  or  a 
spring,  to  which  the  character  of  the  ground  in 
sight  appeared  to  be  favorable.  A  few  steps  further 
brought  him  to  the  bank  of  a  brook,  in  a  narrow, 
grassy  meadow,  and  he  threw  himself  on  his  knees 
to  drink  of  its  cool  waters. 

Hardly  had  he  quenched  his  thirst,  when  he  heard 
again  the  calls  and  cries  of  his  pursuers  pushing 
straight  towards  him,  and  now  at  no  great  distance 
away.  He  felt  that  he  did  not  have  the  strength 
to  continue  his  flight,  and  that  his  capture  was 
inevitable  unless  he  could  hide  himself  in  the  weeds 
that  fringed  the  sides  of  the  stream.  He  had  barely 
taken  refuge  among  them  and  drawn  the  stalks 
together  about  his  prostrate  body,  when  one  of  the 
enemy  broke  through  the   line  of   trees  and   came 


ADVENTURES  OF  A  SCOUT  241 

down  the  short  slope  to  the  margin  of  the  rivulet. 
He  walked  backwards  and  forwards  along  the  bank 
for  a  few  feet  with  his  eyes  bent  on  the  ground, 
and  then  suddenly  called  out  to  his  comrades,  who 
were  now  in  ear-shot: 

"Here  are  the  prints  of  the  guerrilla's  knees  in 
the  sand.    He  ain't  far  off." 

Soon  all  the  members  of  the  party  had  gathered 
on  the  spot  and  were  eagerly  studying  the  knee 
marks,  and  when  satisfied  by  their  scrutiny,  they 
scattered  to  search  for  the  fugitive,  who,  they  were 
confident,  was  now  almost  again  in  their  grasp.  The 
little  meadow  contained  several  clusters  of  bushes, 
which  seemed  to  offer  a  leafy  nook  of  refuge;  and 
these  were  in  turn  cautiously  beaten  and  inspected. 

All  this  time,  the  scout  was  lying  on  his  back  in 
the  bower  of  weeds  and  grasses,  with  a  cocked  pistol 
in  his  hand  and  his  ears  acutely  alert  to  the  sounds 
and  cries  that  accompanied  the  hunt.  He  had 
made  up  his  mind,  that,  should  his  place  of  con- 
cealment be  broken  into,  he  would  not  attempt  to 
get  away.  He  was,  in  fact,  now  too  exhausted  to 
succeed  in  escaping  by  running  off  a  second  time. 
But  before  he  should  be  shot  down,  he  was  determ- 
ined to  make  the  most  of  every  load  in  his  revolver. 

All  the  rest  of  the  meadow  having  been  gone  over 
minutely  without  success,  the  men  were  now  slowly 
returning  along  the   margin   of   the   stream   to   the 


242  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

spot  where  they  had  detected  the  knee  prints;  and 
as  they  advanced,  they  were  whipping  and  kicking 
up  the  adjacent  growth  of  weeds  and  grasses  and 
peering  among  the  twigs  of  every  branch. 

In  a  few  minutes,  they  had  reached  the  place 
where  the  scout  lay  in  hiding;  and  he  could  hear 
their  oaths  of  disappointment  uttered  almost  di- 
rectly at  his  elbow.  He  grasped  his  cocked  weapon 
more  firmly,  and  as  he  did  so,  a  hand  was  thrust 
forward  to  draw  the  curtain  away;  he  could  see  the 
fingers  that  were  about  to  expose  his  body;  he 
gently  raised  the  pistol  sufficiently  to  get  it  in  range 
to  fire,  and  at  once  had  the  heart  of  his  adversary 
practically  at  its  muzzle;  the  next  instant  there 
would  be  an  explosion,  and  several  men  were  cer- 
tain to  fall  before  he  himself  should  be  killed. 
Then,  as  suddenly  as  it  was  advanced,  the  hand 
was  taken  away,  and  the  tops  of  the  weeds  and 
grasses  swung  back  to  their  natural  position. 

But  was  the  scout  saved?  Might  he  not  have 
been  seen?  And  this  withdrawal  of  the  hand,  might 
it  not  have  been  a  ruse  to  secure  first  the  coopera- 
tion of  all  the  pursuers  for  the  capture  or  destruc- 
tion of  the  pursued?  For  a  few  minutes,  he  was  in 
suspense  in  spite  of  the  exclamations  of  chagrin 
and  disgust  which  he  overheard;  and  then  the  men 
began  to  disperse  again  in  the  continuation  of  their 
search. 


ADVENTURES  OF  A  SCOUT  243 

Throughout  the  remainder  of  the  afternoon, 
Stringfellow  caught  from  his  hiding  place  the  distant 
cries  and  calls  of  his  enemies.  He  did  not  venture 
to  move  until  night  had  fallen.  Passing  the  line  of 
Federal  pickets  under  the  cover  of  darkness,  he  made 
his  way  back  safely  to  the  Confederate  headquarters, 
which  he  reached  at  dawn. 

It  was  in  the  course  of  the  same  year  that  a 
second  incident  occurred  in  the  life  of  Stringfellow 
which  brought  him  quite  as  near  to  a  fatal  ending 
of  his  career  as  the  one  already  related.  During 
the  summer  of  1863,  large  detachments  of  Federal 
troops  were  scouring  all  that  region  which  lay  just 
north  of  the  upper  tributaries  of  the  Rappahannock. 
This  country,  as  we  have  seen,  was  precisely  suited 
to  the  furtive  excursions  of  small  partisan  bands, 
and  it  was  equally  so  to  the  secret  operations  of 
roving  scouts.  Stringfellow,  by  his  boldness  and 
success,  was  quite  as  well  known  to  the  Federals  as 
Mosby  himself,  and  it  was  with  a  feeling  of  great 
satisfaction  that  the  information  was  received  by  a 
certain  Colonel  of  Federal  pickets  that,  at  that  very 
hour,  he  was  unsuspiciously  enjoying  the  hospitality 
of  a  family  with  Southern  sympathies,  whose  home 
was  situated  not  very  far  from  camp. 

The  report  was  really  true.  The  scout,  knowing 
this  family  well,  and  anxious  to  obtain  a  brief  rest 
and  some  diversion  from  the  hard  conditions  of  his 


244  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

calling,  had  gone  to  their  house,  indifferent  to  the 
risk  of  detection  to  which  he  was  aware  he  would 
be  exposed.  It  was  not  often  that,  in  his  hurried 
expeditions  about  the  country,  he  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  conversing  at  ease  with  these  friends  under 
their  own  roof  and  partaking  of  such  an  excellent 
supper  as  he  was  sure  would  be  set  before  him  in 
the  well-remembered  dining-room.  He  was  unable 
to  resist  the  temptation,  and  he  boldly  defied  the 
dangers. 

The  meal  was  over  and  the  scout  was  seated  with 
the  family,  without  a  thought  at  the  moment  of 
taking  either  himself  or  his  horse  away  from  quar- 
ters of  such  unusual  comfort  and  plenty;  but  even 
in  that  hour  of  social  relaxation,  he  had  not  for- 
gotten to  keep  his  pistol  ready  to  his  hand  in  the 
belt  around  his  waist.  In  the  midst  of  the  lively 
talk  that  was  going  on,  his  ears,  ever  alert  to  catch 
suspicious  sounds,  heard  the  clatter  of  approaching 
hoofs.  He  at  once  arose  and  cautiously  went  to 
the  window  to  look  out  on  the  road.  There  he  saw, 
as  far  as  he  could  make  out  in  the  darkness,  what 
appeared  to  be  a  large  body  of  Federal  cavalry,  dis- 
patched, he  had  no  doubt,  to  apprehend  him;  and 
as  the  house  would  be  at  once  encircled  by  the 
troopers,  there  seemed  to  be  no  hope  of  escape. 

He  had  hardly  turned  away  before  a  knocking 
at  the  door  began  and  there  was  heard  a  loud  cry 


ADVENTURES  OF  A  SCOUT  245 

for  admission,  mingled  with  the  sound  of  the  foot- 
steps of  the  numerous  cavalrymen  who  had  dis- 
mounted in  front  of  the  building.  Calmly  telling 
his  friends  that  he  was  surrounded,  but  that  he  in- 
tended to  fight  his  way  out,  since  a  price  had  been 
set  on  his  head  by  the  enemy,  he  was  about  to 
make  his  way  to  the  back  door  to  carry  out  his 
purpose  when  the  lady  of  the  house  hastily  ex- 
claimed: 
"Stop,  stop,  we  can  hide  you  in  the  garret." 
One  member  of  the  family  ran  to  the  window  and 
called  out  "Who's  there,"  while  another  rushed  to 
the  rear  of  the  house  and  locked  the  back  door.  A 
third  hurried  the  scout  to  the  stairway  that  as- 
cended from  the  hall.  Before  they  could  reach  the 
second  floor,  a  loud  explosion  shook  the  building, — 
a  dozen  carbines  had  been  fired  at  the  front-door, 
and  the  balls  had  whistled  about  the  ladies  and 
buried  themselves  in  the  opposite  wall.  A  resound- 
ing shout  followed,  and  almost  at  once  too  the 
crash  of  shoulders  thrown  heavily  against  the  door 
was  heard. 

But  before  an  entrance  could  be  thus  forced,  the 
scout  and  his  companion  had  mounted  to  the  garret. 
As  the  former  looked  around  the  empty  apartment, 
with  its  bare,  unplastered  walls,  he  could  not  see  a 
single  nook  or  cranny  where  his  body  could  be 
squeezed  out  of  sight.     There  was  no  ceiling.     Two 


246  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

beams  ran  across  overhead,  and  resting  on  these 
were  several  wide  planks  not  nailed  down.  The 
young  lady  pointed  to  them,  and  in  a  whisper, 
told  him  to  raise  himself  up  to  one  of  them  and  to 
lie  at  full  length  on  it.  He  quickly  swung  himself 
on  high  by  leaping  up  and  seizing  the  nearest  beam; 
and  having  chosen  the  plank  situated  next  to  the 
eaves,  lay  flat  down  on  it  on  his  stomach. 

The  young  lady,  pausing  only  one  moment  to 
ascertain  whether  his  body  was  entirely  invisible  to 
any  one  looking  up  from  below,  and  seeing  that  it 
was,  quickly  left  the  apparently  unoccupied  room 
and  descended  the  stairs.  Just  as  she  reached  the 
ground  floor,  the  Federal  troopers  burst  in  the 
front  door  and  poured  into  the  narrow  passage. 
The  scout,  prone  on  his  plank  in  the  dark  garret, 
could  hear  every  word  spoken  below. 

"Madam,"  demanded  the  officer  at  the  head  of 
the  troop,  speaking  to  the  lady  of  the  house,  "where 
has  the  guerrilla  hidden  himself?  We  have  informa- 
tion that  he  is  here." 

"What  guerrilla  do  you  mean?"  she  inquired 
calmly. 

"  Stringfellow." 

"Oh,  he  was  here,  but  he  went  away  some  hours 
ago. 

"That's  not  so,"  replied  the  officer  angrily  and 
threateningly.     "You    shall     not     trifle     with     me. 


ADVENTURES  OF  A  SCOUT  247 

The  scoundrel  is  here  this  very  moment.  I  shall 
have  the  house  searched  from  top  to  bottom. 
Sergeant,"  he  interrupted  himself,  turning  to  a 
non-commissioned  officer  at  his  elbow,  "before  we 
go  any  further,  read  the  orders." 

The  sergeant,  thus  commanded,  drew  an  official 
paper  from  his  pocket  and  began  to  read  its  con- 
tents in  a  clear  voice.  Stringfellow  and  his  out- 
rageous exploits  was  the  subject  of  the  proclama- 
tion; he  was  described  as  a  guerrilla,  a  bushwhacker, 
and  a  spy;  no  shrift  whatever  was  to  be  shown  him 
should  he  be  overtaken;  he  was  to  be  looked  upon 
as  an  outlaw  caught  in  the  very  act  of  committing 
a  crime  and  to  be  sabred  or  pistoled  on  the  spot 
without  one  moment's  grace  or  the  smallest  atom 
of  mercy.  Death  alone  was  to  be  his  portion,  death 
on  the  instant. 

It  was  a  terrific  indictment  which  the  scout  over- 
heard. A  summary  retribution,  a  lightning-like  pun- 
ishment, was  all  that  he  could  expect  should  he 
fall  into  the  power  of  the  enemy.  But  his  spirit 
was  not  cowed  or  his  courage  shaken  by  the  words 
which  the  sergeant  so  distinctly  recited;  he  felt  for 
the  pistols  in  his  belt,  which  he  kept  always  loaded 
and  capped,  and  placing  one  on  the  plank  in  front 
of  him,  and  holding  on  to  the  other,  calmly  awaited 
whatever  fate  should  have  in  store  for  him. 

He  had  fully  mapped  out  in  his  own  mind  what 
he   intended    to   do.     It   was   not   likely   that   more 


248  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

than  two  men  would  enter  so  small  a  room  at  once, 
as  the  presence  of  more  would  be  certain  to  hamper 
their  movements  in  an  encounter.  If  his  hiding 
place  on  the  plank  should  happen  to  be  discovered 
by  these  men,  he  had  determined  to  fire  first  from 
above,  and  then  to  leap  down,  pistol  in  hand,  and 
fire  a  second,  a  third,  a  fourth  time,  should  it  be 
necessary;  and  if  either  or  both  of  the  soldiers  sur- 
vived the  shots,  to  endeavor,  with  all  his  might,  to 
hurl  him  or  them  headlong  down  the  stairway  from 
the  open  door.  There  was  a  wooden  projection  just 
at  this  point,  and  here  he  would  afterwards  take 
his  stand  under  cover  and  empty  his  revolver  in 
the  breast  of  whoever  attempted  to  ascend  the 
steps.  Should  he  succeed  in  carrying  out  his  plan 
so  far,  he  was  confident  that  the  enemy  could  drive 
him  from  his  position  only  in  two  ways, — either  by 
burning  down  the  entire  house,  or  by  destroying  it 
with  the  shells  of  their  horse  artillery. 

So  soon  as  the  sergeant  finished  reading  the  pro- 
clamation, a  minute  search  of  the  premises  began. 
First,  the  ground  floor  was  brought  under  a  care- 
ful examination;  dining-room,  parlor,  hall,  kitchen, 
pantry, — all  were  gone  through,  until  not  a  corner, 
not  a  single  foot  of  space  in  them  had  escaped  the 
scrutiny  of  the  soldiers.  Then  the  second  floor, 
where  there  were  numerous  bedrooms,  closets,  and 
passages,  was  ransacked  by  them  with  even  greater 


ADVENTURES  OF  A  SCOUT  249 


thoroughness,  as  if  it  were  possible  for  a  man  to 
hide  in  a  crevice  with  all  the  ease  of  a  cricket,  a 
cockroach,  or  a  mouse.  They  got  down  on  their 
knees  and  peered  under  the  beds;  they  thrust  their 
sabres  through  the  sheets,  blankets,  and  mattresses; 
they  ran  their  cutlasses  into  the  dresses  hanging  up 
in  the  wardrobes.  Not  one  inch  was  left  unexplored; 
but  all  to  no  purpose, — the  scout  was  not  to  be 
found.  The  men  showed  their  disappointment  by 
rough  exclamations  even  in  the  presence  of  the 
women,  who  had  been  compelled  to  accompany 
them  in  order  to  hasten  and  make  more  easy  the 
search. 

Observing  the  narrow  stairway  that  led  up  to 
the  third  floor  of  the  house,  the  officer  asked,  in  a 
very  curt  voice,  of  one  of  the  young  ladies - 

"Is  there  a  room  at  the  top?" 

"Yes,  a  small  garret." 

"Will  you  show  one  of  my  soldiers  the  way? 
The  guerrilla  may  be  hiding  there." 

"Your  man  can  ascend  without  me.  The  room 
is  full  of  dust  that  will  spoil  my  dress.  I  must 
decline  to  go." 

The  officer  looked  at  her  for  a  moment  very  sus- 
piciously, then  turned  to  a  negro  girl,  one  of  the 
family  servants,  who  had  been  carrying  around  a 
lighted  candle  while  the  search  was  going  on,  and 
said  abruptly  and  authoritatively: 


250  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

"Come,  show  the  soldier  the  way." 

The  girl  laughed  uneasily  and  seemed  embar- 
rassed. 

"Lors,  Marse  Cap'en,  dar's  nubbody  up  dar  sho'," 
she  exclaimed. 

"Obey  my  order,"  was  the  stern  reply. 

Drawing  her  dress  about  her  ankles  and  holding 
the  light  high  up,  as  if  she  were  about  to  wade 
through  a  mass  of  contaminating  mud  and  wished 
to  pick  her  way  as  cautiously  as  possible,  the  girl 
very  slowly  and  reluctantly  ascended  the  stairway, 
followed  by  one  of  the  soldiers  carrying  a  cocked 
pistol  in  his  hand. 

The  scout  had  heard  from  his  plank  under  the 
eaves  every  word  of  this  conversation  with  the  of- 
ficer, and  was  not  surprised  when  his  ear  caught 
the  sound  of  the  mounting  footfalls,  and  his  eye 
saw  through  the  open  door  the  rays  from  the  candle 
thrown  on  the  railings  of  the  stairway.  The  next 
minute,  the  girl  reached  the  top  of  the  steps  and 
the  dull,  flickering,  waving  light  penetrated  to  all 
parts  of  the  garret,  exposing  to  half  view  the  bare- 
ness of  the  walls  and  the  vacancy  of  the  unswept 
floor,  and  causing  the  beams  and  planks  to  cast 
deep  shadows.  The  young  negress,  pausing  on  the 
threshold,  with  the  trooper  just  behind  her,  gave  an 
exclamation  of  disgust,  while  she  drew  her  skirts 
still  more  closely  about  her  as  if  to  save  them  from 
the  taint  of  the  accumulated  dust. 


ADVENTURES  OF  A  SCOUT  251 

"See  dar,"  she  said,  "dar's  nuttin'  in  dat  room 
but  dirt.  I  ain't  gwine  ter  spile  my  dress  in  all 
dat  dust,   dat   I  ain't." 

The  man,  with  an  oath,  shoved  her  forward,  and 
both  entered  the  room.  As  the  soldier  peered  cur- 
iously and  not  without  apprehension  around  the 
apartment,  Stringfellow,  looking  down  with  one  eye 
through  a  small  hole  in  the  plank  on  which  he  lay, 
carefully  measured  his  size  and  debated  in  his  own 
mind  whether  it  would  be  wisest  to  shoot  him  in 
the  head  or  in  the  breast. 

Discovery  seemed  to  the  scout  to  be  inevitable. 
Here  he  was  only  a  few  feet  above  the  body  of  his 
adversary;  so  near,  indeed,  that  he  had  to  hold  in 
his  breathing  to  prevent  its  becoming  audible  below. 
The  slanting  of  the  light,  a  scrutinizing  look  from 
the  farthest  corner  of  the  room,  must  divulge  his 
presence.  With  both  pistols  cocked  and  ready  to 
hand,  he  awaited  the  moment  of  detection.  At  the 
first  exclamation  from  the  trooper,  he  would  fire  a 
bullet  into  his  head,  and  leaping  to  the  floor,  roll 
the  body  down  the  stairway  and  defy  the  whole 
troop  of  armed  men  to  come  up. 

While  this  resolution  was  flashing  through  String- 
fellow's  mind,  the  trooper,  walking  slowly  around  the 
room,  was  carefully  examining  the  walls  and  the 
corners,  and  here  and  there  stamping  on  the  floor 
to  test  its  solidity;  nor  did  the  smallest  object 
escape  his  examination,   for  he  even  prodded  with 


252  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

his  sabre  the  contents  of  a  box  that  he  found  lean- 
ing against  one  of  the  partitions.  All  this  while, 
the  girl  had  been  standing  near  the  door  muttering 
her  loathing  for  the  dust  and  her  fear  of  rats  and 
mice. 

Suddenly  the  man,  disappointed  in  his  inspection 
of  the  floor  and  walls,  turned  his  gaze  towards  the 
unceiled  roofing,  and  at  once  the  girl  moved  for- 
ward and  took  position  with  the  candle,  now  burn- 
ing low,  directly  under  the  plank  on  which  String- 
fellow  was  lying.  This  action  threw  its  shadow 
straight  upward. 

Could  the  scout's  body  be  seen  by  the  trooper? 
For  a  minute,  the  latter's  eyes  were  fixed  on  the 
exact  part  of  the  plank  where  lay  the  scout,  who 
had  put  his  finger  on  the  trigger  of  his  pistol. 
Should  he  anticipate  his  enemy's  shot  and  fire  at 
once  without  waiting  any  longer?  He  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  do  this  when  the  trooper's  intent  gaze 
was  withdrawn.  The  girl's  ruse  had  proved  suc- 
cessful. Had  the  shadow  of  the  plank  been  cast 
sideways  against  the  roof,  the  outer  line  of  its  oc- 
cupant's body  would  have  been  seen  by  the  soldier 
below,  already  suspicious  of  his  foe's  presence;  and 
a  bullet  would  doubtless  have  followed  immediately. 
With  the  shadow  cast  upward,  the  scout  became 
invisible  from  the  same  point  of  view,  and  the  girl 
had  possessed  the  wit  to  anticipate  this  fact  for  his 


ADVENTURES  OF  A  SCOUT  253 

preservation.  The  man's  repeated  order  to  her  to 
move  the  candle  this  way  or  that  way,  as  he  peered 
upwards  into  every  possible  recess,  did  not  influence 
her  to  alter  the  slant  of  the  shadow;  and  finally, 
fully  satisfied  that  there  was  no  one  in  the  room 
but  the  candle  bearer  and  himself,  he  turned  to- 
wards the  door  to  descend  the  stairs. 

The  scout  drew  a  long  breath  of  relief  as  he  heard 
the  footsteps  of  both  passing  down  to  the  ground 
floor,  where  the  officer  and  the  rest  of  the  troopers 
were  waiting  for  the  searcher's  return.  Keenly  dis- 
appointed by  his  report,  the  officer  sternly  warned 
the  lady  of  the  house  against  offering  Stringfellow 
any  future  entertainment. 

"If  the  guerrilla  is  caught  here,"  he  said  to  her, 
"it  will  be  necessary  for  me  to  turn  your  family 
out  of  doors.  We  will  have  to  use  the  severest 
measures  to  prevent  his  friends  from  assisting  him 
to  our  damage.  He  is  one  of  our  most  dangerous 
enemies." 

The  officer  soon  mounted  his  horse,  and  accom- 
panied by  the  entire  troop,  rode  away  at  a  gallop; 
but  videttes  had  been  left  on  the  front  road  to 
guard  the  house.  The  scout,  who  descended  when 
the  sound  of  voices  died  out  below,  looking  cau- 
tiously, with  the  members  of  the  family,  through  a 
window,  could  see  the  uniformed  figures  in  the  dark- 
ness,   ready    to    intercept   him    should    it    turn    out 


254  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

that  he  had  been  hidden  in  the  building  after  all. 
But  he  was  not  in  the  slightest  degree  disconcerted 
by  the  sight  of  them  so  far  as  his  own  chance  of 
getting  away  was  concerned;  it,  however,  made  it 
inadvisable  for  him  to  carry  off  his  horse  at  that 
time,  for  to  do  so  would  inevitably  expose  his 
presence  to  the  videttes;  who,  while  they  would  be 
unable  to  capture  him,  would  visit  the  penalty  of 
his  concealment  and  escape  on  the  friends  who  had 
so  courageously  harbored  and  saved  him  by  their 
fidelity  and  shrewdness. 

He  determined  to  leave  the  house  on  foot.  Hav- 
ing bade  a  warm  and  grateful  good-bye  to  his  kind 
hostess  and  her  family,  he  stole  out  of  the  rear 
door,  and  by  creeping  along  under  cover  of  the 
garden  fence  and  afterwards  keeping  in  the  shade 
of  a  row  of  trees,  he  contrived  with  ease  to  reach 
the  protection  of  a  neighboring  forest  without  hav- 
ing been  challenged  by  the  enemy.  After  an  hour's 
tramp  in  the  darkness,  he  found  himself  among  the 
spurs  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  and  was  soon  enjoying 
the  shelter  of  a  home,  the  occupants  of  which  were 
known  to  him  as  ardent  sympathizers  with  the 
cause  of  the  South. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
The  Cadets'  Baptism  of  Fire 


CHAPTER  XIII 
THE  CADETS'  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE 

The  most  famous  military  school  in  the  South 
at  the  beginning  of  the  war  was  the  Virginia  Mil- 
itary Institute,  situated  at  Lexington,  in  the  shadow 
of  some  of  the  loftiest  peaks  of  the  Blue  Ridge. 
Here  were  trained  many  of  the  most  distinguished 
officers  of  the  Confederate  armies.  Throughout  the 
great  conflict,  the  cadets  pursued  their  studies,  but 
not  infrequently,  the  sound  of  the  guns  broke  in 
on  the  routine  of  their  duties  and  aroused  their 
gallant  young  souls  to  all  the  martial  enthusiasm 
of  veterans. 

Down  to  the  Battle  of  Newmarket,  in  the  spring 
of  1864,  where  they  received  their  baptism  of  fire, 
the  battalion  had  not  taken  any  part  in  a  real  fight, 
but  they  had  been  engaged  in  several  unimportant 
military  operations,  such  as  the  McDowell  cam- 
paign in  1862,  and  the  expeditions  to  drive  off  the 
raiding  cavalrymen  of  Averill.  If  they  were  as  yet 
ignorant  of  the  sensation  caused  by  the  actual  im- 
pact of  musket  balls  and  fragments  of  shrapnel, 
still  they  had  been  fully  tested  by  the  fatigue  of 
long  marches  and  by  exposure  to  the  roughest 
weather   at   all   seasons.    They  too  had  bivouacked 


258  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

under  the  trees  at  night;  had  slept  in  their  blank- 
ets; and  had  hungrily  eaten  food  cooked  at  the 
camp  fires.  But  none  of  them  yet  could  point  to 
the  scars  of  wounds  received  in  actual  battle,  or 
could  drink  to  the  memories  of  comrades  who  had 
fallen  in  the  ranks  at  their  side  under  the  fusillades 
of  the  enemy.  And  until  this,  the  true  soldier's 
record  in  the  field  had  been  achieved,  they  refused 
to  remain  entirely  satisfied  with  the  peace  of  their 
barracks  and  recitation  halls,  although  that  peace 
might  be  varied  at  intervals  by  military  tramps  about 
the  mountains  in  search  of  deserters  or  along  the 
trail  of  retreating  Federal  troopers. 

It  was  the  experience  of  real  warfare,  with  all  its 
blood  and  glory,  that  they  thirsted  for;  and  so  ir- 
resistible did  this  desire  become,  that,  on  one  oc- 
casion, they  assembled  with  great  solemnity  and 
drew  up  a  formal  resolution  offering  their  services 
as  a  unit  to  General  Lee. 

Throughout  the  winter  of  1863-64,  they  had  found 
it  especially  difficult  to  restrain  their  martial  spirit. 
The  cavalry  brigade  of  General  Rosser,  one  of  the 
most  brilliant  officers  in  this  arm  of  the  service, 
had  been  stationed  in  the  vicinity  of  Lexington 
during  that  winter.  His  weatherbeaten  and  war- 
scarred  veterans  in  uniform  were  to  be  seen  at  all 
hours  about  the  grounds  of  the  Institute,  where 
they  mingled   with   the   admiring   boys   and   stimu- 


THE  CADETS'  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE       259 

lated  their  youthful  ardor  by  tales  of  adventure  on 
the  march  and  in  the  charge.  And  this  ardor  had 
been  further  influenced  by  the  gift  of  a  flag,  rent 
and  blackened,  which  had  been  wrested  from  the 
standard  bearer  of  the  enemy  in  the  midst  of  the 
foaming  turmoil  of  battle. 

The  spirits  of  the  young  battalion  were  at  once 
depressed  and  lifted  up  a  short  time  later  as  they 
looked  on  the  long  procession  of  seasoned  cavalrymen 
passing  through  the  precincts  of  the  Institute,  on 
their  return  to  the  front,  with  their  flags  flying, 
and  their  pennons  fluttering,  in  the  mountain  breeze 
and  their  sabres  and  accoutrements  flashing  in  the 
sunlight.  No  wonder  that  some  of  the  boys  could 
not  repress  their  warlike  ambitions  any  longer,  but 
must  at  once  sever  their  connection  with  the  place 
and  follow  in  the  track  of  the  gallant  cavaliers  who 
had  ridden  away  on  that  memorable  morning.  But 
it  would  not  be  long  now  before  every  member  of 
the  battalion  would  have  an  opportunity  to  receive 
that  baptism  of  fire  for  which  all  appeared  to  be 
yearning. 

In  the  spring  of  1864,  General  Sigel  was  ordered 
by  General  Grant,  who  had  taken  personal  com- 
mand of  the  Federal  armies  in  Virginia,  to  march 
up  the  Valley,  and  to  hold  it  firmly  as  he  proceeded, 
as  the  only  means  of  preventing  its  further  use  as 
a  granary  by  the  Confederates.     Sigel  set  his  troops, 


260  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

twenty- five  thousand  in  number,  in  motion  on  May 
1st,  with  Staunton  in  view  as  his  first  important 
objective.  The  only  force  which  could  be  brought 
forward  promptly,  in  the  hope  of  staying  his  prog- 
ress, was  a  detachment  of  three  thousand  men  under 
General  Imboden. 

The  report  spread  that  the  Federals  were  steadily 
advancing,  and  the  cadets,  knowing  that  the  Insti- 
tute would  certainly  be  invaded  in  the  end,  should 
Sigel  not  be  stopped,  became  more  eager  than  ever 
to  take  the  field.  At  this  time,  the  battalion  con- 
sisted of  two  hundred  and  eighty  boys,  all  of  whom, 
with  the  exception  of  about  thirty,  who  would  be 
left  to  guard  the  buildings,  could  be  at  once  detailed 
for  military  duty.  The  command  was  already  or- 
ganized into  a  corps  of  four  companies,  supported 
by  one  section  of  artillery,  and  possessing  the  neces- 
sary quantity  of  ammunition,  tents,  knapsacks, 
picks,  and  shovels.  General  Smith,  the  Superin- 
tendent, in  a  letter  dated  May  2d,  to  General 
Breckenridge,  who  had  been  placed  at  the  head  of 
all  the  Confederate  troops  in  the  Valley,  offered 
their  services  for  any  line  of  duty  to  which  they 
might  be  assigned;  but  the  only  purpose  to  which 
Breckenridge,  in  his  acceptance,  seems  to  have  ex- 
pected at  first  to  devote  them  was  the  old  one  of 
"assisting  in  repelling  or  capturing  the  destructive 
raiding  parties,"   who  would   soon   be   operating   in 


THE  CADETS'  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE       261 

many  parts  of  that  region.  The  commanding  gen- 
eral evidently  thought  that  the  cadets  were  too 
young  and  inexperienced  to  be  attached  at  once  to 
his  main  force;  but  the  events  of  the  next  few  days, 
and  the  military  necessities  of  his  own  position, 
completely  altered  his  opinion. 

On  May  4th,  anticipating  a  rapid  advance  by 
Sigel  in  spite  of  Imboden's  opposition,  he  hurried 
to  Staunton  at  the  head  of  four  thousand  men; 
but  it  was  not  until  six  days  later  that  the  Federal 
General  arrived  in  Woodstock  many  miles  away, 
his  progress  having  slowed  down.  Nevertheless, 
Breckenridge  now  decided  to  summon  the  battalion 
of  cadets  to  join  his  army  at  once,  as  he  con- 
sidered it  likely  that  small  Federal  detachments 
would  be  sent  forward  to  harry  the  inhabitants  of 
the  middle  Valley. 

The  night  the  order  arrived  at  the  Institute,  the 
long  roll  was  sounded;  but  as  that  roll  had,  during 
recent  months,  turned  out  several  times  to  mean 
nothing  beyond  the  common,  the  boys  made  their 
way  in  the  darkness  to  the  rendezvous,  with  only 
a  vague  hope  of  hearing  that  they  were  to  join 
immediately  the  army  posted  at  Staunton.  But  if 
there  was  any  listlessness  among  them  from  previous 
disappointment,  it  was  completely  shaken  out  of 
them  by  the  words  of  the  orders  which  their  Adju- 
tant, surrounded  by  the  other  officers,  read  out  by 


262  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

the  light  of  a  lantern.  The  announcement  that, 
under  the  trusted  leadership  of  its  Commandant, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott  Shipp,  the  battalion  was 
to  leave  next  morning  to  reinforce  General  Breck- 
enridge,  was  received  with  a  rousing  hurrah  from 
youthful  throats  that  startled  the  silence  of  the 
neighboring  hills. 

The  cadets  breakfasted  by  candle-light  the  fol- 
lowing morning,  and  then  each  one,  bearing  a  can- 
teen, haversack,  and  blanket,  fell  into  rank,  the 
bugle  sounded,  and  accompanied  by  their  battery 
they  set  out,  with  a  steady  and  uniform  swing, 
upon  the  march  to  Staunton.  One  part  of  their 
exercises  in  the  Institute  had  been  to  tramp  about 
that  rough  mountain  region,  and  they  were  thor- 
oughly hardened  to  the  kind  of  tax  which  was  now 
about  to  be  put  upon  their  powers  of  endurance. 
Raising  a  cheer  as  they  looked  back  from  a  height 
and  got  their  last  view  of  the  turrets  of  their  familiar 
and  well-beloved  barracks,  they  turned  again  to 
continue  their  march,  with  spirits  as  lively  and 
steps  as  elastic  as  before.  Along  the  country  road 
they  advanced  all  the  rest  of  that  day,  camping 
out  at  night;  and  the  following  afternoon,  they 
entered  the  streets  of  Staunton,  as  fresh  as  sanguine 
minds  and  youthful  limbs  could  make  them.  They 
must  have  felt  like  veterans  as  they  listened  to 
their  band  responding  to  the  plaudits  of  the  young 


THE  CADETS'  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE       263 

ladies  in  a  school,  under  the  windows  of  which  they 
were  passing,  with  the  strain,  associated  with  so 
many  wars,  of  "The  Girl  I  Left  Behind  Me." 

That  afternoon,  when  their  dress  parade  was  held 
in  the  camp  where  they  stacked  their  arms,  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town  came  out  apparently  en 
masse  to  watch  the  review  and  to  admire  the  boys 
in  their  trim  uniforms;  and  at  the  dance  to  which 
they  were  invited  the  same  night,  they  threw  the 
older  officers  in  the  shade  by  their  popularity  with 
the  ladies.  No  one  would  have  thought  from  the 
gayety  of  their  bearing  on  that  occasion  that  they 
had  halted  in  town  only  for  a  few  hours  before 
taking  up  the  march  for  the  first  battlefield  of  their 
lives.  To  every  one  of  them,  indeed,  it  was  to 
prove  another  ball  before  Waterloo. 

In  the  midst  of  all  this  civilian  applause,  was  it 
likely  that  they  would  grow  indignant  because  the 
veteran  troops  broke  out,  as  they  swung  by  in  their 
natty  gray  coats  and  bright  buttons,  with  the  song 
"Rock  a  Bye  Baby"? 

Couriers  having  brought  in  the  news  that  Sigel 
had  left  Woodstock  and  was  advancing  up  the  Shen- 
andoah, Breckenridge,  as  brave  a  soldier  as-  ever 
unsheathed  a  sword,  determined,  in  spite  of  the 
disparity  between  their  respective  forces,  to  go  for- 
ward and  attack  him  as  soon  as  he  could  come  up 
with   him.    As   his   army   marched   along   the   road 


264  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

that  ran  towards  Newmarket,  where  Sigel  had  ar- 
rived, it  was  strung  out  in  a  formidable  procession, 
headed  by  Echols's  brigade,  which  was  followed  in 
turn  by  Wharton's,  the  battalion  of  cadets,  the 
artillery,  and  the  wagon  train.  The  battalion  had 
not  yet  gone  through  their  baptism  of  fire,  which 
alone  would  have  entitled  them  to  the  post  of  honor 
and  danger  in  front. 

The  army,  by  the  second  night,  had  passed 
through  Harrisonburg  and  crossed  the  borders  of 
Shenandoah  county.  There  was  now  one  very 
conspicuous  sign  to  indicate  that  they  had  arrived 
in  a  country  which  had  been  alarmed  by  incursions 
of  the  enemy, — people  were  met  all  along  the  turn- 
pike flying  with  their  families,  household  goods, 
horses  and  cattle  to  a  place  of  safety.  Confederate 
cavalrymen,  belonging  to  Imboden's  small  detach- 
ment, came  up  with  prisoners  who  had  been  cap- 
tured in  brushes  with  Sigel's  vanguard.  That 
night  when  the  troops  halted,  the  cadets  could  see 
at  a  distance  the  bivouac  fires  which  had  been 
lighted  by  the  pickets  and  skirmishers  who  formed 
the  advanced  posts  of  either  side.  They  did  not 
raise  any  tents  to  protect  themselves  from  the  rain 
that  was  now  falling,  but,  with  the  cheerfulness 
which  distinguished  them  on  their  ordinary  marches, 
threw  themselves  down  on  the  ground  to  sleep  in 
their  blankets  until  the  order  to  rise  should  be 
called  out  in  the  morning. 


THE  CADETS'  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE       265 

Imboden  had  been  enjoined  by  General  Brecken- 
ridge  to  fall  back  before  Sigel  and  to  take  position 
on  the  strong  line  of  hills  south  of  the  town  of  New- 
market, in  the  hope  that  he  might  lure  the  enemy 
to  attack  him  there;  but  all  his  efforts  to  bring 
this  about  proved  in  vain.  When  Breckenridge 
found  that  his  opponents  continued  immovable,  he 
decided  to  push  boldly  up  and  rush  the  Federal 
position  in  spite  of  its  formidable  character;  and 
with  this  advance  in  view,  he  sent  an  order  to  his 
main  army  to  hasten  forward  to  join  him.  The 
courier  who  brought  these  instructions  to  the  several 
officers  reached  Colonel  Shipp,  in  command  of  the 
cadets,  late  at  night.  At  once,  they  were  aroused 
by  word  of  mouth,  as  no  drum  was  allowed  to  be 
beaten  and  no  call  of  the  bugle  to  be  sounded. 

Before  the  youthful  battalion  fell  in,  a  prayer  was 
delivered  by  Captain  Preston,  who  had  lost  an  arm 
at  the  Battle  of  Winchester,  and  who,  though  still 
a  young  man,  had  been  serving  as  a  sub-professor 
at  the  Institute.  Here,  in  the  presence  of  those 
listening  boys,  under  the  broad  canopy  of  the  night 
sky  studded  with  its  myriads  of  sentinel  fires,  he 
appealed  to  the  God  of  Battles  in  behalf  of  the 
youthful  soldiers;  spoke  of  the  homes  and  parents 
they  had  left  behind;  of  the  country  whose  cause 
they  were  about  to  support  so  bravely;  of  the  issues 
of  the  battlefield,  victory  or  defeat;  and  of  the  fate 
that  might  overtake  each  one  of  them  in  the  great 


266  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

crisis  now  so  close  at  hand.  As  soon  as  this  elo- 
quent prayer  was  finished,  the  march  began  in 
silence,  and  when  the  sky  indicated  the  approach  of 
dawn  they  had  passed  over  the  greater  part  of  the 
ground  to  be  traversed. 

As  they  were  swinging  along  the  road  in  buoyant 
spirits,  they  came  up  with  Wharton's  brigade  of 
veterans,  who  at  once  started  to  flash  their  wit  at 
the  expense  of  the  boys  when  the  battalion  halted 
near  them  for  a  short  rest.  One  of  the  soldiers, 
with  a  pair  of  shears,  moving  up  and  down  their 
ranks,  asserted  his  readiness  to  cut  off  love  locks  to 
be  sent  home  as  souvenirs  of  those  who  were  about 
to  fall  on  the  field  of  battle;  while  another,  drawing 
a  mournful  face,  suggested  that  orders  should  now 
be  left  for  coffins,  with  the  names  to  be  engraved 
on  the  plates.  The  cadets  took  these  ghastly  jokes 
in  the  humor  in  which  they  were  uttered,  and  re- 
sumed their  march  with  no  damper  on  their  spirits. 

Newmarket,  their  objective,  was  situated  directly 
on  the  turnpike  from  Staunton.  West  of  the  town, 
the  land  gradually  swelled  until  it  looked  down  in 
the  form  of  high  bluffs  on  the  rushing  waters  of  the 
North  Fork  of  the  Shenandoah.  Immediately  to- 
wards the  north,  behind  the  town,  the  country  rose 
to  a  height  known  as  Bushong's  Hill,  while  towards 
the  east  a  terrain  of  marshes  and  woodlands  cul- 
minated in  the  long  and  lofty  Massanutten  mount- 


THE  CADETS'  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE       267 

ains.  Towards  the  south,  there  stood  Shirley's 
Hill,  the  long  northern  slope  of  which  gradually 
sank  down  almost  to  the  borders  of  the  town.  The 
surrounding  country  was,  for  the  most  part,  com- 
posed of  pastures  and  wheatfields,  divided  one  from 
another  by  fences  and  stone  walls;  but  between 
Shirley's  Hill  and  Bushong's  Hill,  and  not  far  from 
one  side  of  Newmarket  itself,  there  ran  a  shallow 
ravine,  which  broke  the  general  uniformity  of  this 
part  of  the  landscape. 

When  the  battalion  reached  the  vicinity  of  New- 
market, they  deployed  behind  the  screen  of  Shirley 
Hill,  on  the  crest  of  which  the  Confederate  pickets 
could  be  seen,  and  then  advanced  to  occupy  the 
ground  assigned  them  in  the  arrangements  for  the 
impending  battle.  This  was  at  the  extreme  left  of 
the  line,  where  they  were  still  concealed  from  the 
view  of  the  enemy.  While  they  were  taking  posi- 
tion, Breckenridge  and  his  staff  rode  by.  The  Gen- 
eral, a  man  six  feet  tall,  and  strikingly  handsome 
and  soldierly  in  appearance,  a  superb  horseman, 
and  mounted  on  a  noble  thoroughbred,  seemed  to 
the  cheering  boys  to  be  the  very  God  of  War. 

A  heavy  bombardment  was  now  going  on  from 
a  Federal  battery  stationed  in  a  Lutheran  church- 
yard situated  just  back  of  the  town.  The  shells 
passed  over  the  heads  of  the  Federal  infantry  and 
fell    in    front    of    the    advancing    Confederates.     It 


268  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

was  against  this  battery  that  the  cadets'  first  par- 
ticipation in  the  battle  occurred.  McLaughlin's 
artillery,  from  the  meadows  near  the  turnpike,  was 
at  the  time  vigorously  replying  in  support  of  one 
of  the  Confederate  brigades  which  was  driving  in 
the  Federal  skirmishers.  The  battalion's  battery 
galloped  down  the  turnpike,  swerved  to  the  left, 
and  taking  a  strong  position  on  the  slope  of  Shir- 
ley's Hill,  in  front  of  the  cadets  in  line,  opened  in 
its  turn  a  rapid  and  effective  fire  on  the  Federal 
guns.  The  town  soon  became  wrapped  in  cannon 
smoke  and  the  intervening  space  alive  with  burst- 
ing shrapnel. 

While  all  this  was  happening,  the  cadets  had  re- 
ceived orders  to  cast  aside  their  knapsacks  and 
blankets  and  to  hold  their  muskets  and  cartridge 
boxes  in  readiness  for  immediate  use.  Unconsciously, 
the  boys  tightened  their  belts  to  ease  their  move- 
ments when  the  word  to  advance  should  ring  out. 
They  were  not  yet  directly  under  fire,  but  Federal 
shells,  striking  the  ground  on  the  hill-crest  above 
them,  bounded  and  rebounded  by  their  flank. 

In  a  short  time,  the  Federal  battery  stationed  in 
the  churchyard  back  of  the  town,  which  had  been 
hurling  these  shells,  was  compelled  to  retreat  to  a 
higher  point  in  the  rear.  After  a  fight  in  the 
streets  and  in  the  immediate  environs  of  New- 
market,  all  the  Federal   forces,   which  had,   in  the 


THE  CADETS'  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE       269 

meanwhile,  been  reinforced,  were  drawn  back  by 
General  Sigel  to  a  second  line  that  rested  in  part 
on  the  brow  of  Bushong  Hill. 

Between  one  and  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
the  Confederates  received  the  order  to  attack.  The 
cadet  battalion,  which  had  up  to  this  time  been 
held  in  reserve, — their  artillery  section  alone  having 
so  far  had  any  part  in  the  fight, — were  now  com- 
manded to  take  position  in  the  immediate  rear  of 
the  advancing  brigades  of  veterans,  which  soon 
brought  them  under  fire.  Their  first  intimation  of 
the  movement  required  of  them  came  in  the  ringing 
words  from  Colonel  Shipp,  "Attention,  Battalion, 
Forward."  The  sergeant-major,  as  if  the  corps  was 
engaged  in  a  dress  parade,  rushed  forty  paces  in 
front  of  it,  and  had  to  be  made  to  return  to  his 
place  on  the  left  of  the  line.  The  tall  color-bearer 
shook  out  the  broad  folds  of  his  flag  to  the  breeze, 
and  the  whole  battalion  ascended  to  the  crest  of 
the  hill  with  as  much  calmness  and  precision  as  if 
they  were  marching  forward  on  the  parade  ground 
at  Lexington. 

So  soon  as  they  passed  the  hill-top,  they  came 
in  full  range  of  the  Federal  guns  north  of  the  town. 
Not  pausing  a  moment,  they  followed  the  example 
of  the  veteran  brigade  on  their  right  front  and 
moved  down  the  slope  at  double  time.  They  were 
now  going  at  a  long  trot,  and  before  they  had  cov- 


270  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

ered  many  yards,  a  shell  burst  just  ahead  of  their 
line,  striking  with  its  fragments  four  of  the  cadets, 
who  fell  to  the  ground  severely  wounded.  All  this 
while,  the  brigades  of  veterans  forward  and  the 
cadets  in  the  rear  were  supported  by  McLaughlin's 
battery  of  fourteen  pieces  advancing  on  their  right 
along  the  turnpike  and  stopping  here  and  there  to 
bombard  the  town  and  the  Federal  positions  in  its 
rear. 

The  new  Federal  line  extended  across  Bushong's 
Hill,  towards  the  right,  as  far  as  the  bluff  on  the 
Shenandoah  river;  while  towards  the  left,  it  reached 
as  far  as  the  turnpike,  on  which  side  it  was  pro- 
tected by  cedar  thickets  and  woods  that  spread  to 
the  base  of  the  Massanutten  mountains.  Four 
hundred  yards  in  front  of  this  strongly  posted  array 
of  men,  General  Sigel  had  stationed  two  regiments, 
one  of  which, — that  on  the  left, — rested  on  the  turn- 
pike; the  other, — that  on  the  right, — both  being  in 
line,  joined  hands  with  Von  Kleiser's  Battery. 
There  was  thus  a  formidable  advance  force  to  over- 
come before  the  Federal  positions  behind  could  be 
assaulted. 

The  first  success  of  the  Confederates  was  won  by 
Imboden's  troopers,  who,  with  four  pieces,  pushed 
close  up  to  the  flank  of  the  Federal  left  wing  and 
compelled  the  Federal  cavalry  in  that  part  of  the 
field  to  retreat.     The  guns  then  opened  up  a  very 


THE  CADETS'  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE      271 

effective  fire  on  Von  Kleiser's  battery  in  spite  of 
the  long  intervening  distance.  Soon  the  Confed- 
erate brigades,  moving  towards  the  enemy's  centre, 
struck  this  battery  and  also  the  two  regiments 
which  had  been  thrown  out  along  with  it  in  front 
of  the  main  line,  and  quickly  forced  both  the  in- 
fantry and  the  guns  to  draw  back  in  confusion.  In 
a  short  while,  the  Confederates  had  crossed  the 
abandoned  positions  and  were  approaching  the  slope 
of  Bushong's  Hill,  the  key  to  the  main  line  itself. 

While  the  Confederate  van,  composed  of  the 
veteran  soldiers,  were  driving  the  Federal  forward 
line  back,  the  cadet  battalion  in  the  rear  had  left 
the  northern  side  of  Shirley's  Hill  behind  and  had 
passed  under  the  cover  of  the  ravine  which  lay 
between  the  town  and  the  Shenandoah  river.  Here 
they  halted  in  order  to  get  ready  to  take  part  in 
the  assault  which  was  soon  to  begin  on  the  enemy's 
central  position  in  the  second  line.  They  threw  off 
all  unnecessary  equipment  and  filled  their  canteens 
with  fresh  water  from  the  stream  that  poured 
through  the  hollow. 

When  the  final  advance  of  the  whole  Confederate 
army  began,  the  troops  on  the  left  and  in  the  right 
centre,  meeting,  after  they  had  gone  a  considerable 
distance,  with  a  firm  resistance  from  the  Federal 
sharpshooters  and  batteries,  were  compelled  to  stop 
and  to  take  temporary  shelter  behind  whatever  cover 


272  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

the  ground  afforded.  It  was  a  very  critical  moment. 
The  Confederate  army  had  been  checked,  and  in 
some  places  was  even  falling  back,  while  the  enemy 
were  not  perceptibly  shaken,  and  were  perhaps 
getting  ready  to  complete  the  Confederate  discom- 
fiture by  a  charge  against  their  ranks.  It  was  at 
this  juncture,  when  the  issue  of  the  fight  was  waver- 
ing in  the  balance  and  the  chances  for  their  side 
were  apparently  diminishing,  that  the  cadet  bat- 
talion advanced  for  the  first  time  to  the  very  front 
of  the  battle.  They  took  position  in  a  gap  which 
lay  between  two  of  the  regiments  of  veterans.  As 
they  came  up,  they  maintained  their  line  with  all 
the  exactness  of  a  dress  parade.  It  was  noticed  by 
those  who  were  looking  on  at  this  splendid  spectacle 
that,  in  crossing  a  muddy  field,  which  was  of  a 
character  to  create  some  confusion  among  them,  the 
wings  swung  forward  more  rapidly  than  the  centre, 
causing  a  slight  curve  in  the  line  at  first.  Although 
the  cadets  were  now  marching  under  a  heavy  artil- 
lery fire  from  the  Federal  batteries  on  the  heights 
in  front,  the  officers  were  able  to  straighten  the  line 
with  as  little  difficulty  as  if  the  advance  had  been 
in  an  ordinary  field  drill;  and  the  battalion  pro- 
ceeded in  the  same  exact  order  as  before. 

It  was  half  a  mile  from  the  ravine  to  the  Bushong 
House,  the  first  objective  for  which  they  were  mak- 
ing.    This  house  stood  just  at  the  northern  edge  of 


THE  CADETS'  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE       273 

the  muddy  field  through  which  they  were  now  pass- 
ing. Behind  it  was  an  orchard,  and  back  of  this 
orchard  was  a  wheatfield  which  fronted  the  Fed- 
eral main  position.  The  whole  formed  the  slope 
and  top  of  Bushong's  Hill.  When  the  cadet  bat- 
talion reached  the  house,  they  divided  with  the  same 
quiet  precision  as  if  they  were  about  to  move 
around  some  obstacle  on  their  parade  ground,  and 
came  together  again  behind  it  without  the  slightest 
confusion. 

The  strongest  of  all  the  Federal  positions  on  the 
second  line  to  which  Sigel  had  retreated  was,  as  we 
have  seen,  the  one  that  directly  faced  these  youth- 
ful and  untried  soldiers  so  soon  as  they  passed 
around  Bushong  House.  If  that  portion  could  be 
forced,  the  key  to  success  had  been  gained.  The 
Federal  commander  had  brought  up  Von  Kleiser's 
battery,  driven  back  from  the  first  line,  and  posted 
it  on  the  hill.  Hardly  had  the  cadets  come  in  sight 
from  behind  the  house  when  they  were  exposed  to 
the  concentrated  fire  of  several  batteries  which  had 
an  unobstructed  view  of  them  from  above.  The 
attention  of  Von  Kleiser's  guns  was  temporarily 
diverted  by  the  assault  of  a  company  of  Missourians, 
but  before  the  battalion  could  reach  the  northern 
boundary  of  the  orchard,  this  battery  also  was  hurl- 
ing its  shells  into  their  midst. 

Should  they  leave  the  orchard  and  enter  the 
wheatfield  that  spread  straight  up  to  the  position 


274  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

occupied  by  Von  Kleiser?  It  began  to  look  as  if 
few  of  the  cadets  would  escape  death  or  wounds. 
Already  the  trees  in  the  orchard  were  being  smashed 
to  fragments  by  the  cannon  balls.  Colonel  Shipp 
was  struck  and  fell  severely  stunned  and  bleeding 
to  the  ground.  A  moment  of  confusion  followed. 
An  order  passed  along  the  ranks  to  lie  down;  all  did 
so,  except  the  ensign,  who  stood  upright  waving  his 
flag;  and  the  battalion  then  began  firing  under  the 
protection  of  a  worm  fence  which  ran  along  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  orchard.  But  the  return 
fire  of  the  enemy  was  so  heavy  and  accurate  that 
the  cry  went  up:  "Fall  back  and  rally  on  Edgar's 
battalion."  It  was  a  critical  moment.  Some  of 
the  cadets  were  about  to  rise  to  obey,  when  a  first 
sergeant,  Pizzini  by  name,  a  Corsican  by  blood, 
cocked  his  rifle  and  shouted  out  that  he  would 
shoot  down  the  first  man  who  did  so.  Captain 
Preston,  smilingly  resting  on  his  single  arm,  said 
that  that  arm  at  least  he  must  save.  Another  Cap- 
tain, Colonna,  spoke  encouragingly  to  the  members 
of  his  company  and  directed  them  to  aim  coolly  and 
accurately  at  the  enemy. 

The  first  effect  of  the  battalion  holding  their  posi- 
tion was  that  it  relieved  the  veteran  troops  on  their 
left  from  the  converging  fire  of  the  Federal  batteries, 
and  thus  gave  them  the  time  to  reform  before  re- 
newing the  fight  with  the  hostile  forces  which  those 


THE  CADETS'  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE       275 

batteries  were  supporting.  But  before  they  were 
ready  to  advance,  General  Sigel  made  an  effort  to 
launch  a  counter-attack.  Only  one  regiment,  how- 
ever, pressed  forward  to  a  considerable  distance; 
this  was  the  34th  Massachusetts,  which  charged 
almost  up  to  the  fence  of  the  orchard  where  the 
cadets  had  halted.  Had  the  latter  previously  re- 
tired from  this  position,  there  would  have  been  a 
gap  in  the  Confederate  line  at  this  vital  point;  the 
Federal  troops  would  have  rushed  through;  and  the 
whole  Confederate  army  would  have  been  com- 
pelled to  fall  back  in  disorder. 

The  tide  of  battle,  which  had  been  running  against 
the  Confederates,  now  suddenly  turned.  The  veter- 
ans on  the  right  of  the  cadets  were  strongly  rein- 
forced; the  whole  line  was  firmly  reestablished;  and 
an  advance  was  sounded.  Colonel  Shipp  having 
been  disabled,  as  already  mentioned,  the  battalion 
was  now  under  the  command  of  their  captains.  As 
the  order  to  advance  rang  out,  they  leaped  up  to 
perform  their  part  in  the  forward  movement.  The 
Federal  right  had,  by  this  time,  been  flanked,  and 
the  batteries  stationed  on  that  part  of  the  Federal 
line  were  in  retreat.  The  Federal  left  had  also  been 
driven  back.  The  whole  Federal  front  from  one 
end  to  the  other  was  soon  more  or  less  shaken,  but 
this  did  not  diminish  the  fire  of  the  Federal  battery 
that  looked  directly  down  on  the  cadets  as  they 
passed    across    the    orchard    fence    and    entered    the 


276  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

field  that  led  up  to  the  top  of  Bushong's  Hill,  on 
which  that  battery  was  posted. 

Not  long  before  this  final  advance  began,  a  black 
cloud,  pregnant  with  rain,  which  had  been  hanging 
over  the  field,  burst  in  a  terrific  downpour.  The 
sheet  formed  by  this  deluge,  together  with  the 
smoke  from  the  Federal  batteries,  made  the  air  so 
murky  that  it  was  difficult  for  the  eye  to  distin- 
guish objects  some  distance  ahead.  The  shells  from 
the  battery  at  the  top  of  the  hill  had  not  only  to 
be  accurately  directed  through  this  half  darkness, 
but  had  also  to  stand  a  further  chance  of  deflection 
by  their  downward  plunge;  but  in  spite  of  these 
hampering  influences,  their  course  was  sufficiently 
precise  to  make  the  charge  of  the  cadets  up  to  the 
muzzles  of  the  guns  full  of  flaming  peril  to  all  who 
were  participating  in  it.  As  they  advanced,  the 
Federal  battery  continued  to  play  upon  their  line. 
But  the  battalion  did  not  halt. 

The  Federal  gunners  now  began  to  ram  in  the 
shot  without  using  their  sponges  at  all,  and  the  six 
pieces  of  artillery  in  use  were  worked  to  their  ut- 
most capacity.  Still  there  was  no  sign  of  disrup- 
tion in  the  line  below;  here  and  there,  a  youthful 
soldier  dropped  in  his  tracks;  but  the  gap  was 
quickly  closed  up  and  his  comrades  came  on  as 
firmly  and  steadily  as  before.  The  advance,  which 
had  started  with  a  quiet  step,  had  soon  increased 


THE  CADETS'  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE       277 

to  a  double  time,  and  this  at  the  close  had  been 
accelerated  to  a  run. 

The  Federal  gunners,  perceiving  that  they  were 
about  to  be  surrounded  and  captured,  stopped  their 
fire  at  the  last  moment  and  succeeded  in  getting 
away  with  four  of  the  pieces;  the  remaining  two 
were  promptly  seized  by  the  battalion.  The  color 
sergeant,  Evans,  leaped  upon  the  caisson  of  one  of 
these  and  wildly  waved  his  flag  in  triumph. 

While  the  cadets  were  taking  possession  of  the 
guns,  Federal  troops,  stationed  on  their  right  flank 
in  a  gully,  opened  a  sharp  fusillade  on  them.  The 
cadets  quickly  reformed,  and  wheeling  to  the  right, 
in  their  turn  opened  an  equally  sharp  fusillade  on 
the  enemy,  and  advancing,  drove  them  from  the 
cover  of  the  thickets  lying  between  the  spot  where 
the  battery  had  been  posted  and  the  turnpike  on 
the  eastern  side  of  the  battle  field.  When  they 
finally  halted,  the  whole  body  of  the  Federal  army 
had  retreated  towards  the  north,  followed  by  the 
Confederate  infantry  and  cavalry.  The  last  shot 
of  the  cadet  battalion,  like  their  first,  was  delivered 
by  their  artillery,  which  now  galloped  to  the  top  of 
the  nearest  hill  and  hurled  numerous  shells  in  the 
rear  of  the  retiring  foe.  The  fight  was  finished, 
and  the  movement  of  the  Federal  forces  in  the 
Valley,  which  had  given  General  Lee  at  Peters- 
burg serious  uneasiness  for  the  time  being,  was 
completely  frustrated. 


278  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

That  night,  the  cadets  bivouacked  in  the  imme- 
diate neighborhood  of  the  veteran  brigades,  by  whom 
they  were  now  treated  with  all  the  respect  to  which 
soldiers  who  had  seen  real  service  were  entitled. 
Indeed,  all  now  fraternized  on  equal  terms. 

Among  the  prisoners  who  were  brought  into  camp 
was  a  German  soldier,  who  spoke  only  imperfect 
English. 

"Dem  leetle  tevils  mit  der  vite  vlag,"  said  he 
ruefully  as  he  pointed  to  the  cadets,  "vas  doo 
mutch  for  us.  Dey  shoost  smash  mine  head  ven  I 
vas  cry  zurrender  all  de  dime." 

The  flag  of  the  battalion,  borne  aloft  throughout 
the  battle,  was  the  one  which  they  always  used  in 
their  parades  at  Lexington,  and  was  distinguished 
by  a  white  and  gold  ground,  with  a  picture  of  Wash- 
ington worked  into  the  centre. 

It  was  asserted  at  the  time  that  General  Brecken- 
ridge's  Chief  of  Staff  had  said  to  the  cadets  at  the 
end  of  the  fight: 

"Young  gentlemen,  the  Commander  has  you  to 
thank  for  the  day's  operations." 

But  whether  this  report  was  correct  or  not,  it  is 
certain  that  General  Breckenridge  himself,  on  num- 
erous after  occasions,  expressed  the  conviction  that 
the  battalion  "had  exercised  a  decisive  influence  in 
winning  the  victory."  And  this  opinion  seems  to 
have  been  justified  by  at  least  three  events  that 
occurred   on  that   memorable  day.    First,   the  bat- 


THE  CADETS'  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE      279 


talion  had  come  forward  at  a  critical  stage  in  the 
course  of  the  fight  and  filled  up  a  very  alarming 
gap  in  the  Confederate  line  just  where  it  faced  the 
strongest  position  occupied  by  the  Federal  troops. 
And  secondly,  they  had  held  their  ground  with  con- 
spicuous firmness  exactly  at  the  moment  when  con- 
fusion was  beginning  to  arise  among  the  Confeder- 
ate forces  stationed  on  their  right,  and  this  tenacity 
gave  those  forces  an  interval  in  which  to  restore 
order  and  reform.  And,  lastly,  they  had  repelled 
the  counter  charge  of  a  Federal  regiment,  which, 
but  for  their  presence  at  that  point,  and  their  ability 
to  resist  its  onset,  would  very  probably  have  broken 
through  the  Confederate  line  and  compelled  that  line 
to  fall  back  in  a  disastrous  retreat. 

Five  members  of  the  battalion  were  killed  out- 
right; four  additional  died  afterwards  of  their 
wounds;  while  forty-eight  received  wounds  from 
which  they  recovered.  At  least  one-fifth  of  the 
entire  command  were  disabled. 

A  very  distinguished  survivor  of  the  battalion  has 
recorded  that,  when  the  men  to  whom  had  been 
assigned  the  duty  of  taking  up  the  bodies  of  the 
soldiers  who  fell  in  the  battle,  went  over  the  field 
where  these  boys, — for  their  average  age  did  not 
exceed  seventeen  and  a  half  years, — had  been 
brought  under  the  most  galling  fire,  "they  found 
one  wearing  the  chevrons  of  a  first  sergeant  lying 
on  his  face,  stiff  and  stark,  with  outstretched  arms. 


280  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

The  next  one  lay  as  if  asleep;  a  little  fellow,  who  had 
torn  open  his  jacket  and  shirt,  and  even  in  death, 
lay  clutching  them  back,  exposing  a  fair  white 
breast,  with  its  red  wound."  And  not  far  from 
him  was  the  body  of  a  third,  who,  the  night  before, 
had  confided  to  a  comrade  his  feeling  of  certainty 
that  he  was  destined  to  meet  a  soldier's  death.  One 
after  another  they  were  tenderly  lifted  and  placed 
on  a  limber  chest  and  thus  carried  back  to  the  town, 
where  they  were  buried  with  all  those  military  hon- 
ors which  the  young  heroes  had  won  by  the  intre- 
pidity of  their  conduct  and  the  sacrifice  of  their  lives. 
When  the  war  had  come  to  an  end,  their  remains 
were  exhumed  and  reverently  conveyed  to  Lexing- 
ton, and  there  reburied  in  the  cadets'  cemetery, 
overshadowed  by  noble  oaks,  and  situated  in  sight 
of  the  Institute  where  they  had  received  their  mil- 
itary training.  And  a  second  time,  their  bodies 
were  removed  to  a  new  resting  place.  They  were 
now  buried  in  the  parade  ground  under  the  beauti- 
ful statue,  "Virginia  Mourning  Her  Dead,"  the 
work  of  one  who,  as  a  cadet,  had  been  their  com- 
rade in  the  fight.  On  the  anniversary  of  the  Battle 
of  Newmarket,  this  statue  is  decorated  as  a  tribute 
to  their  memories,  and  when  the  roll  is  called  on 
that  day,  their  names  are  always  included,  and  as 
each  name  is  uttered,  a  cadet  steps  forward  from 
the  ranks  and  responds:  "Dead  on  the  Field  of 
Honor,   Sir." 


CHAPTER  XIV 
The  Dash  on  Baltimore 


CHAPTER  XIV 
THE  DASH  ON  BALTIMORE 

AMONG  the  most  hazardous  and  impetuous  ad- 
ventures that  occurred  during  the  war  was  the  raid 
which  Major  Harry  Gilmor,  in  July,  1864,  at  the 
head  of  a  small  company,  led  to  the  very  environs 
of  the  city  of  Baltimore,  which  lay  at  this  time  far 
within  the  enemy's  territory  and  on  their  principal 
line  of  supply  between  the  North  and  Washington. 
The  railroad  which  passed  through  Baltimore  from 
Philadelphia  had  probably  transported  more  troops 
to  the  Federal  armies  in  Virginia  than  any  railway 
in  the  United  States,  and  it  was  guarded  by  the 
Federal  authorities  with  sleepless  vigilance.  To  cut 
this  highway  even  for  a  short  distance  would  ser- 
iously embarrass  the  Federal  plans  for  reinforcing 
General  Grant,  and  also  might  weaken  the  defenses 
of  the  capital.  Both  of  these  consummations  were, 
from  the  Confederate  point  of  view,  very  desirable 
at  this  time,  when  General  Lee  was  with  difficulty 
holding  back  the  Federal  forces  in  front  of  Peters- 
burg, and  General  Early  had  crossed  the  Potomac 
and  was  moving  towards  Washington. 

Major  Gilmor,  who  undertook  to  strike  this  blow 
at  the  Federal  communications  far  in   the  rear  of 


284  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

actual  fighting,  enjoyed  a  reputation  for  daring  hardly 
second  to  that  of  Colonel  Mosby  himself;  and  this 
new  enterprise  was  not  surpassed  in  its  chances  of 
personal  peril  by  any  of  the  ones  in  which  he  had 
previously  been  constantly  engaged.  He  possessed 
but  a  single  advantage  in  carrying  it  out,  and  this 
might,  at  any  time,  become  a  great  disadvantage; 
— the  region  through  which  he  intended  to  advance 
had  been  well  known  to  him  down  to  its  minutest 
features  from  boyhood,  for  it  was  the  region  where 
he  had  been  born  and  reared;  but  this  very  fact, 
although  it  might  increase  his  safety  during  the 
raid  by  furnishing  him  with  assistance  of  local 
friends,  might  also  increase  his  danger  by  the  prob- 
ability of  his  instant  recognition  by  persons  who 
were  hostile  to  his  cause,  and  ready  to  inform  the 
authorities  of  his  presence  before  report  had  dis- 
closed it. 

But  the  prospect  of  being  aided  by  friends  and 
harmed  by  enemies  among  his  acquaintances  in  the 
dash  which  he  was  now  about  to  make  did  not  in- 
fluence Major  Gilmor  in  the  smallest  degree.  His 
design  was  to  tear  up  the  track  and  burn  important 
bridges  on  the  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore  Railway; 
and  that  purpose  he  set  out,  with  all  the  energy 
and  intrepidity  for  which  he  was  famous,  to  carry 
into  effect. 

Although,  during  the  first  part  of  the  raid,  he  was 
followed    at    a    considerable    distance    by    General 


THE  DASH  ON  BALTIMORE  285 

Bradley  Johnson's  brigade,  to  which  he  belonged, 
yet  this  brigade  furnished  no  support  until  on  the 
point  of  leaving  him.  He  and  his  squad  of  twenty 
men  rode  many  miles  ahead  of  this  body,  and  even 
during  the  short  time  it  was  following  them,  they 
were  pursuing  an  independent  enterprise. 

When  the  squad  started,  they  left  the  brigade  at 
a  sharp  gallop,  which  brought  them  by  sunset  to 
the  town  of  Westminster.  They  had  learned  some- 
time before  arriving  there  that  it  was  occupied  by  a 
large  force  of  the  enemy,  but  instead  of  this  fact 
causing  them  to  make  a  detour,  it  seemed  to  arouse 
a  reckless  spirit  in  their  breasts,  for,  closing  up 
their  ranks  and  drawing  their  sabres,  they  charged 
pell  mell  down  the  main  street  while  they  made  the 
sky  ring  with  their  yells.  The  Federal  soldiers 
posted  in  the  town,  aware  that  these  horsemen 
were  merely  the  precursors  of  the  large  body  of 
infantry  who  were  following,  fired  a  few  shots  at 
the  wild  troopers  as  they  came  on  and  then  re- 
tired in  haste  to  cover.  So  great  was  the  speed  of 
the  hostile  squad  that  none  of  the  shots  hit  their 
flying  mark.  There  were  many  citizens  of  West- 
minster who  sympathized  ardently  with  the  Southern 
cause,  and  as  the  Confederate  raiders  swept  past, 
with  shouts  and  hurrahs,  handkerchiefs  were  waved 
from  numerous  windows  and  responsive  cheers  were 
heard  above  the  clatter  of  hoofs,  the  yells  of  defi- 
ance, and  the  explosion  of  numerous  guns  and  pis- 
tols. 


286  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

That  night,  Gilmor  decided  to  remain  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  town,  as  the  main  body  of  the 
Federal  forces,  apprehensive  less  they  might  soon  be 
cut  off  by  Johnson's  brigade,  had  retreated  with  pre- 
cipitation along  the  first  road  that  led  to  Washing- 
ton. He,  however,  took  the  precaution  to  sever  all 
the  telegraph  wires  by  which  Federal  reinforcements 
might  be  summoned;  and  he  also  threw  out  pickets 
to  prevent  a  surprise. 

The  next  morning,  at  an  early  hour,  he  started 
again  at  the  head  of  his  refreshed  company.  His 
first  objective  now  was  the  line  of  the  Northern 
Central  Railway,  which  formed  the  principal  high- 
way for  the  transportation  of  Federal  troops  and 
supplies  from  Harrisburg.  This  he  intended  to  dis- 
rupt by  destroying  the  track  for  some  distance  and 
by  setting  the  torch  to  the  bridges.  He  had  now 
entered  a  region  of  country  with  which  he  was 
familiar  and  where  he  knew  many  persons  of  im- 
portance; but  as  he  rode  ahead  of  his  men,  mounted 
on  a  spirited  black  charger,  he  was  taken  by  most 
of  the  citizens  to  be  a  Federal  officer,  as  it  was  not 
conceivable  that  any  Confederate  force  could  have 
penitrated  so  far  behind  the  Federal  lines.  Cross- 
ing the  Northern  Central  Railway  at  Cockeysville, 
he  set  fire  to  the  bridge  which  spanned  the  Gun- 
powder river  nearby.  Baltimore  was  situated  only 
fifteen  miles  away. 


THE  DASH  ON  BALTIMORE  287 

The  brigade,  which  had  been  following  in  his  track 
at  a  distance,  came  up  with  him  here,  but  almost 
immediately  turned  back,  with  the  intention  of  re- 
joining General  Early.  General  Bradley  Johnson, 
its  commander,  considered  it  unwise  to  risk  his 
artillery  by  moving  farther  towards  Baltimore.  In 
parting  with  Gilmor,  he  assigned  him  a  small  addi- 
tional force  to  continue  the  raid. 

The  region  which  Gilmor  now  entered  was  the 
immediate  scene  of  his  early  life,  and  there  was  not 
one  hill,  valley,  or  stream  that  was  not  associated 
with  his  memories  of  those  years;  indeed,  he  could 
have  picked  his  way  through  it  almost  blindfolded. 
With  the  aid  of  his  reinforced  squadron,  he  set  out 
from  Cockeysville  to  carry  out  the  main  purpose 
which  he  had  had  in  view  from  the  beginning, 
namely,  to  break  up  the  section  of  the  Baltimore 
and  Philadelphia  Railway  which  lay  not  far  east  of 
the  former  city.  He  could  now  look  for  no  support 
from  any  detachment  following  him;  and  he  was 
aware  that,  not  only  was  the  railway  strongly  de- 
fended, but  the  guard  could  be  quickly  increased  by 
several  regiments  dispatched  from  neighboring  posts. 
This,  however,  did  not  cause  him  for  one  moment 
to  hesitate  to  advance  towards  his  desired  objective. 
At  first,  he  took  the  road  that  ran  straight  to  Balti- 
more, but  swerving  from  this  highway  towards  the 
Gunpowder  river  again,  he  stopped  at    Glen  Ellen, 


288  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

the   home   of   his   boyhood,    where   his   father   and 
mother  still  resided 

"I  captured  the  whole  party  on  the  front  steps," 
he  afterwards  said  laughingly,  "and  if  I  except  some 
perhaps  just  complaints  of  my  rather  severe  hugging, 
I  treated  them  with  kindness,  and  upon  detainment 
of  a  few  hours,  paroled  and  released  them  and 
moved  on  with  my  command." 

Such  were  some  of  the  vicissitudes  of  the  Civil 
War.  The  son  had  nominally  at  least  captured  his 
own  parents! 

"What  is  your  destination,  Harry?"  asked  a 
younger  member  of  the  family  circle,  with  undis- 
guised concern. 

When  he  had  told  her,  she  threw  up  her  hands 
and  exclaimed  in  a  tone  of  despair: 

"You  will  never  return  alive!" 

Major  Gilmor  for  a  moment  gazed  thoughtfully 
at  his  small  force  resting  with  their  horses  under 
the  trees. 

"I  believe  you  are  right,"  he  said  quietly.  "But 
I  am  resolved  to  fight  and  to  whip  everything  that 
stops  me." 

That  night,  the  small  company  under  his  leader- 
ship started  again  on  their  raid.  So  exhausted  had 
the  men  become  by  the  life  in  the  saddle  during  so 
many  days,  with  such  short  interval  for  repose, 
that  they  went  to  sleep  on  their  horses  as  they  rode 


THE  DASH  ON  BALTIMORE  289 

along;  and  Gilmor  himself,  their  guide  as  well  as 
their  commander,  was  also  so  overcome  by  fatigue 
that  he  could  not  resist  following  their  example. 
Suddenly,  he  was  awakened  by  finding  himself  sur- 
rounded by  yelping  dogs.  The  troopers  dismounted 
at  the  farm  house  which  they  had  now  reached,  and 
they  were  still  so  drowsy  that  they  threw  them- 
selves at  length  on  the  ground  and  fell  at  once  into 
a  deep  slumber. 

The  next  morning,  the  entire  force  arose  refreshed, 
breakfasted,  mounted,  and  directed  their  horses' 
heads  straight  for  the  line  of  the  Philadelphia  and 
Baltimore  Railway.  As  they  advanced,  Gilmor  de- 
tailed several  soldiers  to  destroy  the  telegraph  wires 
that  ran  beside  the  highway  which  they  were  pur- 
suing. Two  others  were  ordered  to  ride  ahead  of 
the  column  to  look  out  for  Federal  pickets.  As  the 
two  were  passing  a  farmer's  house  they  noticed  that 
a  Federal  flag  was  flying  over  the  roof.  One  of 
the  troopers  commanded  him  to  lower  it;  he  de- 
clined; and  when  the  trooper  attempted  to  haul  it 
down  himself,  the  farmer  discharged  a  load  of  buck- 
shot into  his  face  and  breast,  and  then  dropping  his 
gun,  fled  into  the  adjacent  woods.  When  the  col- 
umn came  up,  the  trooper,  though  dying,  retained 
his  consciousness  and  power  of  speech  sufficiently 
to  urge  his  comrades  to  leave  him  behind  and  to 
continue  at  once  on  their  way.    Having  lifted  him 


290  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

into  one  of  his  slayer's  carts,  and  given  him  a  cup 
of  water  and  received  his  last  messages,  Gilmor  or- 
dered the  negro  in  charge  to  take  the  wounded  man 
to  the  nearest  village  where  a  doctor's  services  were 
to  be  obtained. 

On  the  column  arriving  at  the  Baltimore  and 
Philadelphia  railway,  they  did  not  halt  to  tear  up 
the  track  first,  but  pushed  rapidly  along  it  towards 
the  bridge  that  spanned  the  Gunpowder  river;  but 
before  they  could  reach  it,  they  caught  the  sound  of 
a  train  approaching  from  the  direction  of  Baltimore. 
Gilmor  at  once  ordered  a  squad  of  twenty  men  to 
go  back,  and  taking  a  position  on  either  side  of  the 
roadbed,  to  bring  the  train  to  a  stop  by  leveling 
their  guns  at  the  engineer.  Apprehensive  of  being 
shot,  and  doubtless  fearing  too  that  the  bridge  had 
been  tampered  with,  this  man,  as  soon  as  he  saw 
the  soldiers,  blew  his  whistle  for  down-brakes,  and 
the  long  line  of  coaches  slowed  up  until  they  came 
to  a  standstill.  Guards  were  at  once  placed  in 
each  car. 

"I  will  shoot  or  cut  down  the  first  man  who  is 
guilty  of  looting,"  was  Gilmor's  stern  proclamation 
to  the  members  of  his  column,  and  they  obeyed  him 
without  a  question. 

It  was  his  intention  to  compel  the  engineer  to 
pilot  the  train  as  far  as  Havre  de  Grace.  Having 
burnt  the  great  railway  bridge  stretched  across  the 


K- " ' '  ]ld*>M.,-  m 


THE  DASH  ON  BALTIMORE  291 

Susquehanna  river,  he  would  then  return  upon  his 
tracks  to  the  Gunpowder  river,  setting  fire  to  all 
the  bridges  in  the  interval  and  closing  with  the 
destruction  of  the  one  spanning  the  Gunpowder;  but 
before  the  engineer  could  be  arrested  and  made  to 
carry  out  this  bold  plan,  he  had  leaped  from  his 
engine  and  fled  into  the  woods  shutting  in  the  rail- 
way at  this  point. 

Informed  that  General  Franklin  was  aboard  of  the 
train,  Gilmor  in  person  passed  from  one  end  of  it 
to  the  other  in  his  search  for  this  disinguished  of- 
ficer. 

"Is  General  Franklin  in  this  car?"  he  inquired  in 
loud  tones  as  he  entered  each  coach. 

But  there  was  no  reply,  although  there  were  many 
officers  to  be  seen  in  the  different  seats. 

Starting  back  from  the  last  car  to  the  first,  Gil- 
mor, fully  determined  to  find  his  man,  called  out: 

"Every  officer  must  show  his  papers." 

General  Franklin  was  thus  forced  to  disclose  his 
presence,  and  he  and  the  other  officers  were  at  once 
removed  to  the  telegraph  station  nearby  and  put 
under  a  strong  guard.  While  this  was  being  done, 
the  train,  all  its  passengers  having  left  it,  was  set 
on  fire  and  completely  destroyed.  Before  the  last 
car  had  gone  up  in  flames,  a  second  train  was  heard 
thundering  along  from  the  direction  of  Baltimore. 
This  too  was  stopped,  but  not  before  the  engineer 


292  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

had  leaped  from  his  cab  and  taken  refuge,  like  the 
first  one,  in  the  under-brush  of  the  adjacent  forest, 
where  he  could  not  be  followed.  As  before,  no  rifling 
of  the  passengers'  persons  and  trunks  was  permitted. 

The  bridge  over  the  Gunpowder  river  was  de- 
fended by  a  small  body  of  Federal  infantry,  whom 
it  was  necessary  for  Gilmor  to  dislodge  before  burn- 
ing the  structure.  On  the  approach  of  the  Con- 
federate sharp-shooters,  they  fled  to  a  gunboat 
which  was  anchored  in  the  stream.  Advantage  was 
at  once  taken  of  their  retreat, — the  second  train 
was  set  on  fire,  the  throttle  of  the  engine  opened, 
and  the  whole  line  of  cars  left  to  run  down  to  the 
bridge.  The  draw  was  soon  filled  with  coaches  that 
had  dropped  into  the  water,  and  the  timbers  of  the 
structure  broke  out  in  flames.  A  flag  of  truce  was 
now  sent  to  the  Federal  soldiers  who  had  retired  to 
the  gunboat,  with  the  request  that  they  would 
transport  to  Havre  de  Grace  all  the  persons  who 
wished  to  resume  their  journey  northward;  and  this 
request  was  complied  with. 

The  second  train  having  been  entirely  consumed, 
the  prisoners  who  were  to  be  carried  off  were 
brought  forward  under  a  strong  guard,  and  followed 
by  them  and  by  his  troopers,  Gilmor  set  out,  in 
high  spirits,  for  Baltimore.  His  plan  was  to  strike 
the  city  on  the  east,  and  then  to  move  around  its 
border  until  he  arrived  at  the  entrance  to  Charles 


THE  DASH  ON  BALTIMORE  293 

street.  Down  this  street  he  intended  to  pass  until 
he  should  come  to  its  intersection  with  Franklin; 
and  there  turning  to  the  right,  it  was  his  purpose 
to  leave  the  city  again  by  the  Franklin  turnpike. 
The  route  which  he  would  pursue  in  this  programme 
would  lie  through  the  most  conspicuous  quarter;  and 
this  would  increase  the  triumph  of  the  march. 

Baltimore,  although  it  had  remained  in  the  power 
of  the  enemy  throughout  the  war,  was  still  as  a 
whole  in  sympathy  with  the  Southern  cause;  and 
had  Gilmor  appeared  on  its  most  fashionable  thor- 
oughfare at  the  head  of  his  gallant  horsemen,  he 
would  have  been  received  with  such  vociferous  ac- 
clamations as  had  never  before  welcomed  the  pres- 
ence of  a  Confederate  officer  north  of  the  Potomac. 
But  as  he  approached  the  city,  he  was  informed 
that  a  large  body  of  troops  had  been  hurried 
thither  for  its  protection,  and  that,  as  a  further 
precaution,  all  the  principal  streets  had  been  stoutly 
barricaded.  Aware  that  his  force  was  too  small  to 
admit  of  a  chance  of  success  against  such  serious 
obstacles,  he  swerved  off  when  in  sight  of  town  and 
turned  his  face  towards  Towson,  situated  some 
seven  miles  away  towards  the  north.  Nor  did  he 
hesitate  in  this  course  when  he  heard  that  a  squad- 
ron of  cavalrymen  were  posted  directly  in  the  path 
which  he  was  following.  It  was  his  intention  to 
rush  this  body  as  soon  as  he  came  up  with  it,  and 


294  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

if  unsuccessful,  to  fall  back  upon  Baltimore,  and, 
under  cover  of  night,  to  retire  through  the  woods. 

As  he  drew  near  Towson,  he  picked  out  a  squad 
of  ten  men,  and  at  their  head,  with  pistol  in  hand, 
galloped  forward  to  make  a  reconnoissance.  Enter- 
ing the  town  at  the  same  speed,  but  observing  no 
sign  of  the  enemy's  presence,  Gilmor  and  his  troop- 
ers dismounted  in  front  of  the  tavern  and  there 
awaited  the  arrival  of  the  rest  of  the  column.  Dur- 
ing this  interval,  an  acquaintance  informed  him  that 
one  thousand  horsemen  had  left  Baltimore  and  were 
moving  forward  along  the  Towson  road  to  intercept 
his  force.  He  determined  to  attack  the  vanguard 
of  this  squadron  before  they  could  obtain  support 
from  their  commander  coming  up  behind. 

All  his  men  having  now  assembled  in  the  town 
square,  Gilmor  drew  them  up  in  a  single  strong  col- 
umn; and  while  they  were  standing  quietly  in  that 
formation,  he  sent  out  a  scout  to  report  the  first 
appearance  of  the  hostile  cavalrymen.  This  soldier 
soon  returned  with  the  information  that  their  van 
was  already  in  sight.  A  second  scout  was  dis- 
patched, with  orders  to  approach  near  enough  to 
this  advance  body  to  fire  on  it,  and  then  to  return 
at  a  gallop  to  Towson.  During  his  absence,  the 
prisoners  were  sent  off  under  a  guard  of  ten  men, 
who  were  instructed,  should  Gilmor  fail  to  join  them 
after  a  certain  time,   to  make  straight  for  General 


THE  DASH  ON  BALTIMORE  295 

Early's  army,  which  was  now  supposed  to  be  oper- 
ating in  the  vicinity  of  the  northern  environs  of 
Washington. 

As  soon  as  the  second  scout,  having  carried  out 
his  orders,  came  back,  a  squad  of  fifteen  horsemen 
was  sent  forward  towards  Baltimore  with  instruc- 
tions to  attack  the  approaching  squadron,  and  after 
firing  their  guns,  to  retreat  in  a  body.  Just  before 
they  rode  up  to  their  comrades  posted  not  far  from 
Towson,  they  were  to  divide  sufficiently  to  leave 
room  for  a  rush  by  Gilmor  and  the  remainder  of 
his  troopers  against  the  Federal  detachment,  which 
was  certain  to  be  in  hurried  and  confused  pursuit. 

Although  the  Confederate  raiders  were  exhausted 
by  their  hard  ride  and  by  lack  of  sleep,  and  although 
too  they  were  aware  that,  in  case  of  defeat  even  by 
the  Federal  vanguard,  they  could  look  for  no  sup- 
port from  behind,  still  not  a  voice  among  them  was 
raised  for  an  immediate  and  a  rapid  retreat.  The 
shades  of  evening  were  now  fast  deepening. 

"I  expect  the  band  will  go  up  tonight,"  one  of  the 
men  was  overheard  to  remark,  "but  we  must  stick 
by  the  Major." 

"He  will  take  us  through  all  right,"  said  another. 
"Only  stay  by  him,  and  there's  no  danger." 

The  troopers  pulled  their  hats  closely  down  on 
the  tops  of  their  heads,  and  then  carefully  examined 
their  pistols,   which  they  now  held   in  their  hands 


296  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

ready  for  use.  All  sat  quietly  and  expectantly  in 
their  saddles.  Far  down  the  road,  they  could  see 
their  fifteen  comrades  boldly  advancing  right  up  to 
the  heads  of  the  enemy's  first  row  of  horses.  The 
sound  of  firing  was  heard, — the  squad  had  emptied 
their  revolvers  in  the  very  faces  of  the  opposing 
cavalrymen  who  had  replied  with  a  fusillade  from 
their  carbines.  The  Federal  vanguard  turned  back 
almost  at  once  in  great  disorder,  followed  by  the 
yelling  Confederate  troopers  shooting  away  freely 
as  they  pursued;  but  fearing  that  they  would  soon 
run  into  the  main  column,  they  halted,  and  then  re- 
treated to  await  the  arrival  of  the  rest  of  the  Con- 
federate force,  who  could  be  heard  approaching  at  a 
rapid  trot.  The  darkness  was  now  so  great  that 
the  latter  were  unable  to  distinguish  their  comrades, 
and  thinking  that  they  really  belonged  to  the 
enemy,  fired  on  them;  fortunately  without  effect,  as 
the  bullets  went  wild  from  the  inability  of  the  men 
to  take  an  accurate  aim. 

The  entire  Confederate  column  was  now  once  more 
united,  and  Gilmor,  having  arranged  it  in  proper 
formation,  ordered  the  whole  body  to  follow  him  at 
a  gallop  as  he  charged  down  the  road  towards  the 
point  where  the  enemy  were  supposed  to  have 
stopped.  Shouting  at  the  top  of  their  voices,  and 
making  a  furious  clatter  with  the  hoofs  of  their 
horses,   they  swept   forward   in   the   stillness   of  the 


THE  DASH  ON  BALTIMORE  297 

night.  The  Federal  cavalrymen,  not  unnaturally 
exaggerating  their  number,  very  discreetly  turned 
about  and  retreated  in  haste  towards  Baltimore, 
followed  by  the  Confederate  horsemen,  firing  volley 
after  volley  with  their  pistols  into  the  ranks  of  the 
rear  guard,  who  could  only  be  distinguished  in  the 
darkness  by  the  flashes  of  their  responding  guns. 
When  the  pursuers  had  come  within  four  miles  of 
Baltimore,  they  halted,  and  then  slowly  made  their 
way  back  to  Towson.  Not  a  soldier  among  them 
had  been  killed  or  wounded,  and  only  one  horse 
had  been  injured. 

No  time  was  now  lost  by  Gilmor  in  retiring  from 
such  a  dangerous  neighborhood.  He  set  out  at  once 
to  rejoin  General  Johnson's  brigade,  but  he  had  a 
long  distance  to  traverse  before  he  could  hope  to 
come  up  with  it.  As  his  column  moved  along,  the 
men  were  overcome  with  sleep,  and  some  even 
tumbled  from  their  horses  in  their  slumber.  To 
prevent  any  loss  to  his  command,  Gilmor  took  a 
position  in  the  rear,  with  the  intention  of  picking 
up  those  who  should  fall  by  the  way.  But  he  had 
not  gone  far  when  he  lost  consciousness  himself. 
How  many  miles  he  rode  in  this  condition,  he  was 
unable  to  calculate  afterwards.  The  first  sound  that 
awakened  him  was  the  jar  of  a  loud  voice  calling 
out  in  the  darkness: 

"Halt,  who  are  you?" 


298  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

"A  friend,"  replied  Gilmor,  instantly  on  the  alert. 

"A  friend  to  whom?"  was  the  next  question  ex- 
pressed in  the  same  threatening  tone. 

"To  the  Union,"  was  the  firm  response. 

"What  are  you  doing  here  at  this  hour  of  the 
night?" 

"I  have  been  on  a  scout  after  Gilmor 's  raiders. 
My  captain  sent  me  ahead  to  tell  you  that  you 
must  not  fire  on  his  men." 

"Very  well,  I  won't  do  so." 

"I  will  return  at  once  and  inform  him  that  the 
road  is  safe,"  said  Gilmor,  wheeling  his  horse's  head 
to  the  right  about. 

He  soon  perceived  that,  while  asleep,  he  had 
passed  out  of  the  main  road  into  a  country  byway. 
Leaping  a  fence  and  making  across  the  fields,  he 
was  soon  once  more  in  the  right  track,  along  which 
he  now  advanced  at  a  gallop  in  order  to  catch  up 
with  the  members  of  his  command.  Discovering 
one  of  his  men  asleep  by  the  roadside,  he  halted 
and  dismounted  to  awake  him.  The  soldier,  on 
being  shaken  into  full  consciousness,  informed  him 
that  he  had  been  left  there  to  tell  him  that  the 
rest  of  the  column  was  resting  at  a  spot  a  short 
distance  off.  When  the  two  reached  this  spot,  all 
the  men  were  seen  lying  on  the  ground  buried  in 
slumber;  at  once,  they  were  aroused;  and  the  entire 
body  set  out  for  the  place  which  had  been  assigned 


THE  DASH  ON  BALTIMORE  299 

as  the  rendezvous  when  the  guard  in  charge  of  the 
prisoners  departed  from  Towson.  On  arriving  there, 
they  found  the  guard  and  prisoners  fast  asleep,  but 
the  buggy  in  which  General  Franklin  had  been 
driving  was  empty. 

"Where  is  General  Franklin?"  exclaimed  Gilmor 
in  tones  of  anger.  "I  ordered  him  to  be  kept  under 
a  constant   guard   in   the   buggy." 

"He  is  in  the  fence  corner  sleeping  with  the  other 
prisoners,"  was  the  reply. 

But  an  investigation  there  did  not  disclose  the 
presence  of  the  distinguished  Federal  officer;  he  had 
really  taken  advantage  of  the  drowsiness  of  his 
captors  to  escape  into  the  wood;  and  it  was  to  no 
purpose  that  scouts  were  sent  out  in  every  direc- 
tion to  bring  him  back, — not  a  trace  of  him  was  to 
be  detected.  Gilmor,  hoping  that  he  might  discover 
papers  of  value  in  the  General's  valise,  ordered  it 
to  be  opened  and  its  contents  examined,  but  they 
were  found  to  consist  only  of  a  prayer  book,  a  snuff 
box,  and  several  photographs;  all  of  which  were,  at 
a  later  date,  returned  to  the  owner. 

As  soon  as  the  column  set  out  again,  Gilmor, 
whose  slumbers  had  been  interrupted,  went  to  sleep 
on  horseback.  One  of  his  troopers  rode  at  his  side 
to  prevent  his  falling  to  the  ground  as  he  passed 
along.  Two  Confederate  sympathizers  interviewed 
him  while  he  was  in  this  condition  of  irrepressible 


300  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

drowsiness;  he  talked  with  them  in  a  disjected 
manner,  but  afterwards  had  no  recollection  of  a 
single  question  asked  or  what  had  been  his  reply. 
At  the  end  of  this  profound  slumber,  he  awoke  re- 
freshed, and  on  the  second  day  galloped,  at  the  head 
of  his  men,  into  the  camp  where  his  brigade,  under 
General  Bradley  Johnson,  had  temporarily  halted. 


CHAPTER  XV 

Lieutenant  Wise  Carries  the  Message 
to  Lee 


CHAPTER  XV 
LIEUTENANT  WISE  CARRIES  THE  MESSAGE  TO  LEE 

Clover  was  a  little  village  situated  about  a 
hundred  miles  southwest  of  Richmond,  on  the  rail- 
road running  to  Danville.  This  railroad  was  now  of 
the  last  importance  to  the  Confederacy,  not  only 
because  it  was  the  principal  artery  of  supply  for 
the  troops  defending  the  lines  at  Petersburg,  but 
also  because,  should  those  troops  be  compelled  to 
evacuate  these  lines,  it  would  become  the  highway 
by  which  they,  in  their  retreat,  would  endeavor  to 
join  the  army  in  North  Carolina  under  General 
Johnston.  The  village  had  some  military  value  as 
being  only  a  few  miles  distant  from  the  bridge  over 
the  Staunton  river,  which  had  to  be  kept  under  a 
strong  guard  so  as  to  assure  the  safe  passage  of 
trains  to  Petersburg  and  Richmond  from  the  gran- 
aries and  conscript  depots  of  the  South.  It  was  the 
gateway  also  to  a  region  of  country  which  still 
furnished  a  large  quantity  of  food  for  the  Confeder- 
ate army,  mules  for  its  wagon  trains,  and  slaves  to 
work  on  the  fortifications  at  the  front. 

On  Sunday  morning,  April  2d,  1865,  a  small  band 
of  Confederate  officers  had  gathered  in  the  Clover 
railway  station  to  obtain  any  news  that  might  be 


304  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

passing  over  the  wires.  This  had  become  a  habit 
with  them  for  some  time,  as  events  of  supreme  im- 
portance were  now  taking  place  at  Petersburg  which 
might  at  any  moment  fatally  compromise  the  entire 
position  of  the  Confederacy;  but  it  was  with  a 
keener  anxiety  than  usual  that  they  entered  the 
office  that  morning,  for,  on  the  previous  day,  a 
dispatch  had  been  received  which  stated  that  Gen- 
eral Sheridan  had  routed  the  Confederate  right-wing 
at  Five  Forks,  and  was  about  to  cut  the  Confeder- 
ate army  off  from  their  shortest  road  to  the  South, 
should  they  be  compelled,  as  now  seemed  certain,  to 
abandon  their  trenches. 

It  was  not  until  eleven  o'clock  in  the  day  that 
messages  began  to  pour  over  the  wires,  and  as  each 
was  caught  by  the  operator  and  repeated  to  the 
persons  standing  around  him,  it  seemed  to  be  of  a 
blacker  significance  than  the  one  that  went  before. 
The  first  to  come  in  was:  the  lines  at  Petersburg 
were  broken  this  morning;  the  second:  General  Lee 
is  retiring  from  the  city;  the  third:  the  Confederate 
army  is  retreating  towards  Amelia  Court-House  on 
the  Richmond  and  Danville  Railroad;  and  finally: 
orders  have  been  issued  for  the  immediate  evacua- 
tion of  Richmond. 

Two  events  were  now  confidently  expected  by 
the  officers,  who,  in  spite  of  the  gloomy  news  which 
they  had  just  received,  declined  to  despond,  namely, 


LIEUTENANT  WISE  305 

that  Mr.  Davis  and  his  cabinet  would  be  passing 
southward  through  Clover  within  twenty-four  hours; 
and  that  before  a  week  had  passed,  General  Lee 
and  his  troops  would  cross  Staunton  river  by  the 
bridge  a  few  miles  away  and  slowly  fall  back  towards 
the  Carolinas. 

The  first  event  took  place  precisely  as  anticipated, 
— Mr.  Davis,  accompanied  by  his  chief  civil  ad- 
visers, appeared  on  the  following  morning  in  a  train 
which  had  been  specially  reserved  for  his  party,  and 
after  a  short  stop,  continued  his  journey  towards 
Danville,  where,  reestablishing  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment, he  remained  for  several  days.  Would  Lee  too 
come  along  to'  serve  with  his  army  as  a  shield  of 
defense  between  these  heads  of  the  central  adminis- 
tration and  the  pursuing  enemy? 

All  the  rest  of  Monday;  all  Tuesday;  and  down  to 
midday,  Wednesday,  most  of  the  patient  watchers 
kept  their  seats,  until  they  were  worn  out  by 
fatigue  and  the  stress  of  anxiety.  Not  a  message 
arrived  from  any  point  situated  beyond  Burke ville; 
not  a  message  from  any  point  this  side  which  gave 
any  information  as  to  the  movements  of  the  Con- 
federate army.  All  trains  had  ceased  to  run.  The 
ominous  silence  was  unbroken  and  impenetrable. 
Then  suddenly  there  came  a  telegram  from  Burke- 
ville  announcing  that  the  wires  between  that  village 
and   Amelia   Court-House,   where   General   Lee   was 


306  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

known  to  have  arrived  in  his  effort  to  get  astride 
of  the  Richmond  and  Danville  railroad,  had  been 
cut;  and  that  it  was  reported  that  Federal  cavalry- 
had  possession  of  the  line  between  the  two  stations. 
This  rumor,  if  true,  signified  that  the  Confederate 
army  had  been  compelled  by  superior  power  to 
abandon  their  original  objective,  and  to  strike 
across  the  country  to  Farmville,  with  the  expecta- 
tion of  continuing  their  retreat  by  the  Southside 
Railway  towards  Lynchburg. 

General  Walker,  who  was  the  officer  in  command 
at  Clover,  promptly  informed  Mr.  Davis  at  Danville 
of  the  rupture  of  the  telegraph  line  beyond  Burke- 
ville.  Mr.  Davis  was  still  hopeful  that  General 
Lee  had  not  been  forced  to  swerve  from  his  intended 
course;  but  in  order  to  ascertain  definitely  where 
he  was,  and  what  were  his  plans  for  the  immediate 
future,  the  President  requested  General  Walker  to 
let  him  know  whether  he  had  a  trustworthy  officer 
who  would  volunteer  to  pass  in  an  engine  as  far 
down  the  railway  towards  Richmond  as  it  would 
be  necessary  to  go  before  coming  up  with  the  Con- 
federate troops. 

It  happened  that,  when  the  President's  message 
was  received  by  General  Walker,  Lieutenant  John 
S.  Wise  alone  was  present  with  him,  and  he  at  once 
volunteered  to  go  in  search  of  General  Lee  and  to 
obtain    from    him    the    information    desired.     The 


LIEUTENANT  WISE  307 

Lieutenant  had  been  one  of  the  cadets  who  had 
taken  part  in  the  Battle  of  New  Market,  where  he 
had  been  wounded,  and  he  was  still  a  mere  boy  in 
years  as  well  as  a  stripling  in  appearance. 

"You  are  too  young,"  said  General  Walker  de- 
cisively when  the  young  officer  offered  his  services. 

In  a  short  time,  however,  he  reconsidered  his 
refusal.  But  it  was  probably  the  impression  which 
he  had  of  the  youthfulness  of  the  messenger,  and 
of  the  rashness  usual  with  that  period  of  life,  that 
led  the  veteran  officer  to  dwell  at  length  on  the 
necessity  for  excessive  caution  at  every  stage  of  the 
journey.  His  instructions  to  the  young  man  were 
almost  minute  in  their  details.  If,  on  arriving  at 
Burkeville,  he  should  find  that  the  enemy  had  not 
yet  reached  that  station,  then  he  was  to  use  his 
own  judgment  as  to  passing  with  his  engine  to  the 
track  of  the  Southside  Railway, — which  crossed  the 
Danville  Railway  there, — and  moving  down  that 
road  until  he  should  catch  up  with  the  retreating 
Confederate  army.  If  the  Southside  Railway  too 
had  been  seized  in  part  by  the  enemy,  then  he  must 
obtain  a  horse  and  make  his  way  across  the  country 
to  General  Lee's  headquarters. 

General  Walker  himself  was  convinced  that  the 
Federal  advance  guard  had  really  taken  possession 
of  Burkeville. 

"My  reason  for  thinking  so,"  he  remarked,  "is 
that  this  evening,  after  a  long  silence,  we  have  re- 


308  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

ceived  several  telegrams  purporting  to  be  from  Gen- 
eral Lee  urging  the  forwarding  of  stores  to  that 
point.  From  the  language  used,  I  am  satisfied  that 
it  is  a  trick  to  capture  the  trains.  But  I  may  be 
mistaken.  You  must  be  careful  to  find  out  the 
facts  before  you  get  to  the  place." 

About  nightfall  of  the  same  day,  an  engine,  with  a 
baggage  car  attached,  arrived  from  Danville  with 
important  papers  from  Mr.  Davis;  and  Lieutenant 
Wise,  accompanied  by  General  Walker,  went  to  the 
station  to  get  aboard  of  it.  The  General,  as  if  still 
disposed  to  fear  lest  so  youthful  a  messenger  should 
act  rashly  and  expose  himself  to  avoidable  danger 
because  failing  to  evince  the  cautious  spirit  which 
an  older  head  would  be  careful  to  show,  again  urged 
upon  him  the  need  of  the  utmost  prudence  and  dis- 
cretion in  every  step  which  he  should  take  in  the 
dangerous  expedition  before  him.  But  that  he  in- 
tended that  the  whole  responsibility  for  every  move- 
ment should  rest  upon  the  young  officer  was  revealed 
by  his  parting  words  to  the  engineer. 

"Remember,"  he  said  to  him,  "you  are  to  obey 
implicitly  every  command  of  Lieutenant  Wise." 

The  Lieutenant  had,  by  this  time,  thrown  a 
couple  of  blankets  into  the  car  to  serve  as  a  rude 
bed.  Having  thrust  a  revolver  into  his  hip  pocket 
and  placed  numerous  cartridges  in  his  haversack,  he 
buttoned  up  closely  in  his  breast  pocket  the  sign 


LIEUTENANT  WISE  309 

manual  empowering  him  to  impress  a  horse  if  neces- 
sary, and  also  the  autograph  order  for  General  Lee, 
both  of  which  he  had  just  received  from  Mr.  Davis. 
After  a  few  more  words  with  General  Walker,  he 
mounted  into  the  car  and  gave  the  engineer  the 
signal  to  start. 

The  night  sky  was  overcast  with  clouds,  but 
every  now  and  then  through  a  rift  the  moon  would 
shine  out,  spreading  a  ghostly  light  over  the  broken 
face  of  the  country,  and  then  would  vanish  again 
behind  the  black  veil,  leaving  the  fields  and  woods 
adjacent  to  the  railway  buried  once  more  in  dark- 
ness. There  was  no  lamp  at  the  head  of  the  engine 
to  cast  a  narrow  yellow  beam  far  down  the  rails  as 
the  wheels  clattered  along;  and  not  even  a  candle 
was  burning  in  the  car  occupied  by  the  single  pas- 
senger. Occasionally,  as  the  furnace  door  was 
opened  to  receive  another  supply  of  fuel,  the  flare 
of  the  fires  within  would,  for  a  minute,  illumine 
the  cab  and  play  around  the  grim  and  swarthy 
figures  of  the  engineer  and  fireman;  but  soon,  with 
a  sharp  bang,  the  entrance  to  the  small  inferno  in 
the  bowels  of  the  locomotive  would  be  closed,  and 
the  men  would  be  swallowed  up  again  in  the  black- 
ness. 

It  was  a  lonely  region  through  which  the  engine 
and  car  were  passing.  For  a  century,  it  had  been 
the   chief   seat   in  Virginia   of   tobacco   culture   and 


310  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

slave  holding,  and  was  divided  up  into  large  plan- 
tations, which  had  dispersed  the  inhabitants  and 
left  the  far  greater  proportion  of  the  surface  of  the 
soil  to  grow  up  in  bushes  and  dwarfed  woods.  War 
too  had  affected  it  by  making  the  population  still 
more  sparse  and  compelling  the  abandonment  of 
still  wider  spaces  of  the  land.  As  the  short  train 
moved  on  along  the  track  the  only  sound  that  broke 
the  deep  stillness  of  the  country  was  the  rattle  of 
the  engine  and  car.  Not  a  light  was  to  be  seen 
shining  from  the  windows  of  a  cabin  or  mansion  to 
show  the  proximity  of  human  beings;  not  a  single 
cry  was  to  be  heard  that  indicated  the  presence  of 
a  watch  dog  or  of  some  hunter  abroad  with  his 
hounds  in  the  forest.  The  entire  land  and  all  its 
inhabitants  seemed  to  be  wrapped  in  awed  silence, 
which  may  well  have  fallen  on  them  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  great  events  that  were  now  crowding 
upon  each  other  on  the  theatre  of  the  war  for  the 
doom  of  the  Confederate  cause. 

The  stillness  and  the  darkness  were  brought  home 
all  the  more  impressively  by  the  slowness  with  which 
the  engineer  was  compelled  to  move  owing  to  the 
dangerous  condition  of  the  track,  which,  at  some 
places,  consisted  simply  of  wooden  rails  covered 
over  with  scrap  iron.  The  stations  were  situated 
far  apart,  and  as  they  were  passed,  offered  not  a 
single  sign  of  human  life.     Whenever  the  wood  and 


LIEUTENANT  WISE  311 


water  sank  so  low  in  the  tender  that  it  was  neces- 
sary to  renew  the  supply,  Lieutenant  Wise,  the 
engineer,  and  the  fireman  were  forced  to  do  the 
work  without  assistance;  the  negro  station-hands 
had  all  vanished;  and  every  station-master  had  ap- 
parently followed  their  example,  in  their  expecta- 
tion of  the  enemy's  early  arrival. 

After  leaving  Clover,  the  engine  and  car  ran  for 
some  distance  through  a  large  body  of  thick  woods, 
and  then  entering  the  open  country,  descended  by 
a  sharp  grade  to  the  bridge  over  the  Staunton  river. 
At  this  spot,  for  the  defense  of  the  structure,  ex- 
tensive earthworks  had  been  thrown  up;  and  they 
had  proved  fully  effective  in  the  battle  which  had 
taken  place  there  only  a  few  months  before,  on 
which  occasion  the  dangerous  raid  of  General  Wilson 
had  been  brought  to  a  dead  stop.  That  officer,  at 
the  head  of  a  large  detachment,  had  advanced  from 
Petersburg  to  this  point,  which  was  far  behind  the 
Confederate  lines;  but  on  reaching  it,  he  was  sig- 
nally defeated;  and  when  he  endeavored  to  return, 
was  driven  in  confusion  towards  the  south. 

Having  clattered  through  the  closed-in-bridge, — 
the  muddy  surface  of  the  stream  below  being 
barely  visible  between  the  sills  of  the  track, — the 
train  then  passed  along  the  tall  embankment  that 
carried  the  rails  across  the  broad  lowgrounds  to  the 
edge  of  the  hills.     It  then  entered  the  gap  through 


312  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

which  the  Little  Roanoke  poured  down  from  the 
uplands  of  the  back  country  to  join  the  Staunton; 
then  it  rattled  on  by  the  banks  of  numerous  brooks 
and  creeks  that  offered,  in  the  midst  of  the  rough 
landscape,  a  narrow  stretch  of  level  ground.  Onward 
still  it  rolled  between  long  ridges  that  rose  bare  or 
wooded  on  either  side  of  the  way;  through  the  wide 
open  fields,  where  no  object  as  yet  could  be  dis- 
tinguished; through  deep  cuts,  where  the  earth  had 
been  torn  apart  with  shovel  and  pick  to  produce  a 
uniform  grade;  and  through  almost  endless  lengths 
of  forest  that  stood  black  and  silent  on  either  hand. 
Mile  upon  mile,  the  wheels  rattled  on,  and  slowly 
the  train  drew  nearer  and  nearer  to  Burkeville,  the 
place  upon  which  all  the  thoughts  of  Lieutenant 
Wise  and  the  engineer  were  concentrated. 

It  was  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  when  they 
arrived  at  Meherrin,  situated  only  twelve  miles 
away  from  their  objective.  Here  the  engine  and 
car  having  been  brought  to  a  stop,  Lieutenant  Wise 
jumped  to  the  platform  to  find  out  whether  he 
could  arouse  any  one  in  the  houses  that  loomed 
in  the  darkness  back  of  the  station.  The  station 
itself  was  entirely  vacant.  He  banged  away  at  the 
door  of  the  first  house  which  he  reached,  but  no 
one  responded  to  his  blows  in  spite  of  their  loud- 
ness.   Again  he  knocked  with  redoubled  energy. 

"Who's  thar?"  came  a  muffled  voice,  as  if  from 
beneath  bed   clothes  within. 


LIEUTENANT  WISE  313 

"A  friend/'  was  the  reply,  given  quietly  but  firmly. 

An  old  man  poked  his  head  cautiously  out  of  the 
window. 

"Have  you  heard  anything  from  Lee's  army?" 

"Naw,  nothin'  at  all.  I  heerd  he  was  at  Amely 
Cote  House  yistiddy." 

"Have  you  heard  or  seen  any  Yankees  here- 
abouts?" 

"None  here  yit, — I  heerd  thar  was  some  at  Green 
Bay  yistiddy,  but  they  have  done  gone  back." 

"Back  where?" 

"I  dunno.    Back  to  Grant's  army,  I  reckon." 

"Where  is  Grant's  army?" 

"Lord  knows.  It  pears  to  me  like  its  everywhar. 
I  seed  a  man  come  by  here  late  yistiddy,  and  he 
said  he  come  from  Burkeville,  so  I  reckon  thar 
warn't  none  thar  when  he  lef,  but  whether  they  is 
come  since  I  can't  say." 

One  fact  at  least  Lieutenant  Wise  found  out  from 
this  conversation, — General  Lee  was  certainly  not 
at  Burkeville.  Was  any  detachment  of  General 
Grant's  army  there?  That  was  a  question  which 
only  actual  investigation  could  answer  correctly. 
All  the  chances  were,  that,  if  Lee  had  been  thrust 
away  from  the  Richmond  and  Danville  road,  as 
seemed  now  highly  probable,  Burkeville  was  in  the 
possession  of  Federal  outposts  at  least;  and  the 
presence    there   of   even   so   small   a   force   as   that 


314  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

would  make  an  approach  to  the  place  by  three 
Confederates  quite  as  dangerous  as  though  many 
thousand  troops  were  encamped  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. 

However,  it  was  essential  that  he  should  find  out 
positively  whether  Burkeville  was  held  by  Federal 
soldiers,  for,  until  this  was  actually  proved,  he  could 
not  decide  upon  the  proper  course  for  him  to  follow 
in  carrying  out  his  orders  to  reach  the  Confederate 
army.  If  they  did  not  hold  it,  he  could  switch  the 
engine  and  car  to  the  Southside  Railway  and  go  on 
to  Farmville,  which  lay  in  the  path  of  Lee's  pos- 
sible advance.  If  they  did  hold  it,  then  he  could 
return  to  Meherrin,  impress  a  horse,  and  make 
straight  across  the  open  country. 

Mounting  to  his  car  again,  Lieutenant  Wise  gave 
the  signal  to  the  engineer  to  move  forward.  Four 
miles  further  up  the  railway  was  another  station, 
and  here  he  ordered  the  train  to  be  again  stopped. 
This  place  was  more  hushed  and  deserted  than 
Meherrin;  not  a  single  person  was  to  be  found  there; 
and  he  drew  the  conclusion  that  all  had  fled  under 
the  influence  of  a  report  that  the  Federal  vanguard 
was  not  far  away.  As  he  stood  there  in  the  dark- 
ness and  silence,  a  whippoorwill  began  to  utter  its 
cry  in  a  neighboring  swamp,  and  the  sound,  always 
gruesome  and  melancholy,  seemed  to  deepen  the 
loneliness  of  the  surrounding  country  as  well  as  to 


LIEUTENANT  WISE  315 

emphasize  the  hopelessness  of  the  Confederate  cause, 
pursued  even  into  that  remote  corner  of  the  land  by 
overwhelming  force. 

"Go  very  slowly,"  was  the  order  which  Lieuten- 
ant Wise  now  gave  the  engineer;  and  both  set  them- 
selves to  watch  more  carefully  than  ever  for  the 
first  indications  of  the  enemy's  presence.  Burke- 
ville  was  situated  only  eight  miles  away,  but  even 
eight  miles  is  a  considerable  space  when  the  wheels 
of  an  engine  are  made  to  revolve  at  a  very  low  rate 
of  speed.  As  they  drew  near  to  the  place,  they 
observed  the  reflection,  as  if  from  a  fire,  in  the  sky 
ahead  of  them;  but  as  the  track  followed  a  curve 
in  approaching  the  village,  and  was  also  shut  in  on 
both  sides  by  thickets  of  pine  and  small  oaks,  it  was 
impossible  at  that  distance  to  discover  the  origin 
of  the  suspicious  light.  Was  it  due  to  the  fires  in 
the  enemy's  camp,  or  had  a  detachment  of  Lee's 
army  after  all  been  able  to  march  this  far  in  their 
retreat?  But  why,  at  this  late  hour,  should  either 
friend  or  foe  keep  up  camp  fires  of  such  a  size,  or 
in  such  number,  as  to  throw  a  bright  reflection 
like  that  on  the  face  of  the  heavens? 

What  should  now  be  the  next  step  for  the  Lieu- 
tenant to  take?  Should  he  creep  through  the  under- 
brush until  he  should  come  in  sight  of  the  fires,  and 
thus  be  able  to  find  out  what  caused  them,  or  should 
he   remain   on   the   engine   and   go   forward   to   the 


316  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

very  point  where  the  fires  were  burning?  If  he 
stole  through  the  bushes,  much  time  would  be  lost, 
although  that  course  would  be  the  safer  of  the  two 
to  follow.  On  the  other  hand,  if  he  advanced  by 
rail,  he  could  reach  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
place  within  a  few  minutes,  and  there  would  be  a 
fair  chance  that  the  engine  could  be  reversed  in 
time,  if  necessary,  and  an  escape  quickly  made. 

He  decided  to  go  forward  by  rail,  but  when  he 
announced  his  decision  to  the  engineer,  the  latter 
protested  against  it  with  vehemence. 

"What,  Lieutenant,"  he  exclaimed,  "ain't  you 
afraid  they  are  Yankees?  If  they  are,  we  are 
goners." 

Lieutenant  Wise  declined  to  yield.  The  engineer, 
still  muttering  his  objections,  reluctantly  drew  back 
the  lever,  and  the  engine  and  car,  which  had  been 
stopped,  again  moved  slowly  forward  along  the 
rails.  A  sharp  turn  in  the  track  brought  them  in 
full  view  of  the  Burkeville  station.  At  once,  the 
cause  of  the  light  reflected  on  the  sky  was  explained, 
— large  gangs  of  workingmen  were  employed,  in  the 
flare  of  many  torches,  in  tearing  up  the  track  of  the 
Southside  Railway,  which  crossed  the  Richmond 
and  Danville  at  this  point.  In  reality,  they  were 
changing  the  gauge  in  order  to  facilitate  the  trans- 
fer of  Federal  troops  and  munitions  from  Petersburg 
to  aid  in  cutting  off  the  advancing  Confederates 
before  they  should  arrive  at  Farmville. 


LIEUTENANT  WISE  317 

One  glance  revealed  to  Lieutenant  Wise  that  he 
was  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy;  and  hardly  had 
that  thought  flashed  through  his  mind  when  his 
own  presence  was  observed  by  the  Federal  guards. 
The  clatter  of  the  wheels  had  passed  unnoticed 
owing  to  the  noise  made  by  the  tools  of  the  work- 
ingmen;  but  as  soon  as  the  engine  turned  the  curve, 
the  light  from  the  torches  was  reflected  on  its  metal 
front  and  side,  and  it  stood  fully  disclosed  to  view, 
a  conspicuous,  and  the  enemy  would  be  sure  to 
think,  a  hostile  object.  There  was  not  a  moment 
to  be  lost  by  its  occupants  if  they  were  to  escape 
with  their  lives. 

"Reverse  the  engine,"  called  out  Lieutenant  Wise 
to  the  engineer  peremptorily. 

The  man  seemed  for  the  moment  to  be  paralyzed 
by  the  danger  of  his  situation,  and  made  not  the 
slightest  movement  to  obey  the  order. 

"It's  no  use,"  he  replied  in  blubbering  tones. 
"They  will  kill  us  before  we  can  get  under  way." 

"Reverse  the  engine  or  you  are  a  dead  man," 
the  Lieutenant  hissed,  clapping  the  muzzle  of  his 
pistol  to  the  engineer's  ear  as  he  spoke. 

The  engineer,  as  if  galvanized  into  activity,  once 
more  drew  back  the  lever,  and  the  engine  slowly 
responded. 

The  Federal  guards  had  approached  so  near  that 
they   could   be   heard    crying   out    "surrender,   sur- 


318  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

render."  The  wheels  were  now  moving  more  rap- 
idly. "Surrender,  surrender,"  the  call  was  reiter- 
ated. Still  more  rapidly  moved  the  wheels.  A  vol- 
ley was  fired  and  the  bullets  rattled  against  the 
sides  of  the  engine,  cab,  and  tender.  The  fireman 
had  hidden  himself  in  the  tender,  while  Lieutenant 
Wise  and  the  engineer  had  thrown  themselves  down 
on  the  floor  of  the  cab.  Within  a  few  minutes,  the 
engine  had  acquired  sufficient  speed  to  bear  them 
beyond  the  danger  zone,  and  after  a  while  had  to 
be  slowed  down  to  prevent  it  jumping  the  rickety 
track.  But  the  engineer  for  one  did  not  seem  to  be 
elated  by  his  escape  from  the  enemy;  indeed,  in 
spite  of  his  duties  at  the  throttle,  he  appeared  to  be 
ruminating  sadly  on  some  subject  that  possessed 
his  mind.  Turning  at  last  to  Lieutenant  Wise,  he 
said,  in  the  whining  voice  peculiar  to  persons  of  his 
social  class  in  the  South: 

"Lieutenant,  would  you  have  blowed  my  brains 
out  sho'  miff  if  I  hadn't  done  what  you  told  me?" 

"Certainly  I  would,"  replied  Lieutenant  Wise. 

"Wall,"  said  the  engineer  turning  again  to  his 
throttle,  with  a  sigh,  "all  I've  got  to  say  is,  I 
don't  want  to  travel  with  you  no  mo'." 

"You'll  not  have  to  travel  far.  I  shall  get  off  at 
Meherrin  and  you  can  go  back." 

"What,"  exclaimed  the  engineer,  "you  goin'  to 
get  off  at  Meherrin  in  the  dark  by  yourself,  with 


LIEUTENANT  WISE  319 

no  hoss  and  right  in  the  middle  of  the  Yankees? 
Darn  my  skin  if  I'd  do  it  for  Jeff  Davis  hisself." 

Dawn  had  just  begun  to  appear  when  the  engine, 
with  its  single  car,  came  to  a  full  stop  at  Meherrin 
and  Lieutenant  Wise  descended  to  the  platform.  It 
was  his  intention  to  travel  across  the  country  until 
he  should  reach  General  Lee's  temporary  head- 
quarters, wherever  they  might  be.  There  was  no 
doubt  now  that  the  Confederate  army  was  advanc- 
ing towards  Farmville,  but  how  far  towards  that 
town  had  it  progressed?  Had  Federal  troops  been 
able  to  head  them  off  by  following  the  Southside 
Railway?  If  the  Lieutenant  set  out  to  push  his 
way  through  the  countryside  to  Farmville,  would  he 
not  be  in  danger  of  running  into  this  intervening 
cordon  of  Federal  soldiers?  Indeed,  was  it  possible 
to  ride  around  them  at  all,  no  matter  how  wide 
the  detour  which  he  might  make?  Would  not  the 
same  barrier  confront  him  at  every  point?  But  he 
was  under  positive  orders  to  bear  Mr.  Davis's  mes- 
sage to  General  Lee  on  horseback  if  the  engine 
could  not  safely  go  as  far  as  Burkeville;  and  how- 
ever dangerous  the  journey  over  land  might  be,  or 
how  uncertain  the  chance  of  reaching  the  Confed- 
erate army,  he  resolved  to  discharge  his  duty  at 
all  hazards. 

Having  instructed  the  engineer  to  report  to  Gen- 
eral Walker  a  full  account  of  what  had  been  seen 


320  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

at  Burkeville,  and  also  to  inform  him  of  the  pro- 
posed ride  across  country,  Lieutenant  Wise  gave 
him,  for  the  last  time,  the  signal  to  move  on,  and 
then  turned  away  to  find  out  whether  he  could  pro- 
cure a  horse  to  carry  him  on  the  perilous  mission 
with  which  he  had  been  intrusted.  Not  a  horse  was 
to  be  obtained.  Anticipating  the  early  arrival  of 
the  Federal  stragglers,  the  people  about  the  station 
had  taken  the  precaution  to  send  off  to  a  distance 
all  the  horses  which  they  owned  as  the  only  means 
of  preventing  their  seizure  by  the  enemy. 

But  the  Lieutenant  was  not  to  be  discouraged;  he 
set  out  on  foot  in  the  direction  of  Farmville,  with 
the  hope  that  he  might  be  able,  when  he  had  gone 
further  into  the  country,  to  discover  a  riding  horse 
which  he  might  impress.  He  had  walked  perhaps 
several  miles  along  the  road  leading  through  the 
forest  when  he  came  to  an  opening  where  there 
were  fields  under  cultivation;  and  just  at  the  side 
of  the  highway  as  it  was  about  to  plunge  again  into 
the  woods,  he  saw  a  farmer's  house,  and  directly  in 
front  of  this  house,  tied  to  a  rack,  he  noticed  what 
appeared  to  be  a  young  and  vigorous  horse  already 
saddled  and  standing  there  seemingly  awaiting  his 
arrival  to  carry  him  forward  to  his  destination. 
But  he  could  not  go  and  deliberately  mount  the 
animal  and  ride  away  without  a  word  to  its  owner, 
who  probably  resided  in  the  house. 


LIEUTENANT  WISE  321 

Not  having  eaten  that  day,  he  was,  by  this  time, 
very  hungry  after  his  walk,  and  under  the  influence 
of  this  additional  reason  for  interviewing  the  farmer, 
he  boldly  knocked  at  the  door,  and  gladly  accepted 
the  invitation  to  enter  which  was  at  once  hospitably 
extended  to  him.  Breakfast  had  already  been  put 
on  the  table,  and  besides  the  farmer, — a  man  above 
the  military  age, — and  his  family,  he  found  a  Con- 
federate cavalryman,  who  proved  to  be  the  owner 
of  the  horse.  This  soldier,  having  recently  lost  one 
in  the  service,  had  returned  to  his  home  in  the 
neighboring  county  to  obtain  another,  and  was  now 
on  his  way  to  rejoin  the  Confederate  army. 

"I  require  your  horse  and  must  have  it,"  said 
Lieutenant  Wise  abruptly. 

The  trooper's  only  reply  was  a  careless  laugh,  as 
he  supposed  the  stranger  was  amusing  the  com- 
pany with  a  joke. 

The  Lieutenant  coolly  took  from  his  pocket  the 
sign  manual  which  Mr.  Davis  had  sent  him,  through 
General  Walker,  and  quietly  handed  it  to  the  soldier. 

"You  will  observe,"  said  he,  "that  I  am  em- 
powered to  impress  a  horse,  should  it  become  neces- 
sary." 

He  then  explained  the  mission  which  he  had  been 
ordered  to  discharge,  and  the  cavalryman,  with 
chagrin  but  without  further  demur,  consented  to 
the  appropriation  of  his  horse. 


322  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

Lieutenant  Wise,  having  finished  an  excellent 
breakfast,  mounted  the  animal  and  started  upon 
his  journey  again,  with  refreshed  vigor  and  highly- 
sanguine  spirits,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  farmer 
had  just  told  him  that  Sheridan's  troopers  had 
already  been  seen  in  the  neighborhood.  Advancing 
with  eyes  and  ears  wide  open  to  detect  any  sign  of 
the  enemy's  proximity,  it  was  not  long  before  he 
began  to  hear  the  reverberation  of  heavy  guns 
toward  the  northeast,  which  might  be  at  no  great 
distance  away;  this  led  him  to  turn  into  a  road 
that  ran  in  a  more  westerly  direction  than  the  one 
which  he  had  been  following;  but  he  had  gone  only 
a  few  hundred  yards  along  it  when  he  caught  the 
sound  of  numerous  horses'  hoofs  behind  him,  and, 
on  looking  back,  he  saw  a  column  of  Federal  caval- 
rymen advancing  towards  him.  When  they  per- 
ceived that  their  presence  had  been  detected,  they 
started  in  hot  pursuit  of  him,  and  as  they  did  so, 
they  fired  a  volley  at  him,  in  the  hope  of  bringing 
him  and  his  horse  to  the  ground;  but  the  animal, 
being  strong  and  fresh,  in  a  few  minutes  carried  him 
beyond  the  range  of  their  shots. 

As  Lieutenant  Wise  was  congratulating  himself 
that  he  had  escaped  by  his  horse's  fleetness,  he 
beheld  in  front  of  him,  far  down  the  vista  of  the 
highway  along  which  he  was  galloping,  another 
column  of  Federal  troopers,  who  had  just  begun  to 


LIEUTENANT  WISE  323 

debouch  from  a  by-road.  At  that  distance,  they 
evidently  mistook  him  at  first  for  a  comrade,  for 
they  neither  sent  out  scouts  to  intercept  him  nor 
raised  their  guns  to  shoot  at  him. 

He  now  found  himself  in  a  predicament.  If  he 
advanced,  he  would  run  directly  into  the  teeth  of 
the  column  in  front;  if  he  retreated,  he  would,  with 
equal  certainty,  fall  into  the  jaws  of  the  column 
behind.  In  his  perplexity,  he  stopped  his  horse, 
and  this  action  at  once  aroused  the  enemy's  suspic- 
ion; several  troopers  promptly  left  the  main  detach- 
ment and  advanced  towards  him;  and  even  raised 
their  guns  and  fired  at  him.  Wheeling  his  horse's 
head  towards  the  side  of  the  road  and  clapping  his 
heels  into  his  flanks,  Lieutenant  Wise  was,  in  a 
second,  carried  into  the  woods  out  of  sight,  and  a 
run  of  half  a  mile  among  the  trees  brought  him 
beyond  the  reach  of  pursuit. 

It  was  now  clear  to  him  that  it  was  only  by  bend- 
ing farther  to  the  west  that  he  could  hope  to  avoid 
the  numerous  columns  of  the  enemy  who  were 
working  around  the  wings  of  the  retreating  Confed- 
erate army.  Keeping  still  to  the  protection  of  the 
forest,  he  was  moving  forward  in  a  westerly  direc- 
tion when  suddenly  a  man  in  Confederate  uniform 
with  carbine  in  hand,  appeared  from  behind  a  large 
oak. 

"Halt,"  he  cried,  leveling  his  gun  at  the  horse- 
man as  he  spoke,  "who  are  you?" 


324  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

Lieutenant  Wise's  instant  impression  was  that  the 
man  before  him  belonged  to  the  order  of  Federal 
soldiers  popularly  known  as  Jesse  scouts,  a  class 
that  always  wore  the  Confederate  uniform,  and, 
being  in  reality  spies  and  expecting  no  mercy  when 
captured,  were  notoriously  ruthless  and  lawless. 
Feeling  sure  that  this  impression  was  a  correct  one, 
he  was  at  first  inclined  to  dissemble,  but,  fortun- 
ately for  himself,  he  frankly  gave  his  name  and 
stated  his  rank.  It  was  a  Confederate  scout  who 
confronted  him. 

"What  the  devil  are  you  doing  here?"  the  scout 
exclaimed  as  he  lowered  his  carbine. 

He  too  had  taken  the  horseman  for  a  Jesse  scout, 
and  was  equally  relieved  to  find  that  he  had,  not 
an  unscrupulous  enemy,  but  a  comrade  in  misfor- 
tune before  him.  Lieutenant  Wise  fully  explained 
the  mission  which  he  had  to  carry  out. 

"I  will  help  you,"  responded  the  scout  heartily. 
"The  Yankees  are  all  around  us.  Wait  one  min- 
ute." 

He  disappeared  behind  the  screen  of  the  under- 
brush, and  when  he  came  out  again,  he  was  mounted 
on  a  handsome  horse,  which  he  had  been  keeping 
under  cover.  He  had  evidently  a  perfect  knowledge 
of  the  woods  in  front,  for  he  advanced  without  hesi- 
tation. 

"I  am  one  of  General  Rooney  Lee's  scouts,"  he 
said  in  reply  to  Lieutenant  Wise's  inquiry.  "I  have 
been  hanging  on  the  enemy's  flank  for  several  days." 


LIEUTENANT  WISE  325 

"You  gave  me  a  great  fright,"  said  Lieutenant 
Wise,  "I  thought  you  were  a  Yankee  sure,  and  I 
came  near  telling  you  that  I  was  one." 

"It  was  well  that  you  did  not,"  replied  the  scout, 
"I  am  taking  no  prisoners  on  this  trip." 

He  tapped  the  butt  of  his  carbine  significantly. 

The  two  men  rode  on  together  until  they  came 
to  the  edge  of  the  forest,  where  they  were  able  to 
command  an  extensive  view  of  the  country  sloping 
down  towards  one  of  the  larger  affluents  of  the  Ap- 
pomattox river.  In  the  distance,  they  could  see  a 
Federal  column  descending  to  the  very  ford  by 
which  the  two  Confederates  intended  to  cross;  and 
in  order  to  anticipate  the  enemy  in  this  action, 
Lieutenant  Wise  and  the  scout  pressed  their  horses 
forward  at  a  double  rate  of  speed,  and  did  not  halt 
until  they  reached  a  thickly  wooded  hill  that  over- 
looked the  ford. 

"Stop  here  one  moment,  while  I  ride  out  to  see 
whether  we  can  cross  safely,"  said  the  scout. 

After  advancing  some  distance  ahead  in  the  open,  he 
waved  his  hand  to  the  horseman  behind  to  signal  to 
him  to  come  on  and  then  galloped  down  to  the  stream. 
Lieutenant  Wise  quickly  followed.  The  column  of 
Federal  cavalrymen  had  soon  observed  their  move- 
ments and  set  out  in  pursuit.  The  scout  crossed 
the  ford  in  safety,  but  before  his  companion  could 
do  so,  he  became  the  target  for  a  fusillade  of  shots, 


326  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

which,  fortunately  for  him,  fell  short  of  the  object 
they  were  aimed  at.  He  had  bent  far  over  and 
nestled  close  under  his  horse's  shoulder  in  order  to 
escape  the  bullets;  and  he  was  further  protected  by 
the  continuous  fire  which  the  scout  and  numerous 
pickets,  posted  behind  a  turn  in  the  road  on  the 
further  bank  of  the  river,  kept  up  in  reply  to  the 
Federal  volleys. 

Leaving  the  water,  with  his  horse  still  unwounded, 
he  quickly  found  shelter  behind  a  hill  that  rose  at 
the  side  of  the  highway.  Without  further  danger, 
and  still  accompanied  by  the  scout,  he  made  his 
way  to  Farmville;  but  the  hour  of  midnight  passed 
before  he  was  able  to  hand  his  autograph  order  to 
General  Lee  and  explain  in  person  the  mission  upon 
which  he  had  been  sent  by  Mr.  Davis. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
How  the  Colonel  Saved  the  Town 


CHAPTER  XVI 
HOW  THE  COLONEL  SAVED  THE  TOWN 

DURING  the  four  years  of  war,  the  town  of  Dan- 
ville, Virginia,  was  somewhat  remote  from  the  scenes 
of  actual  fighting,  and  certainly  partly  from  this 
fact  was  chosen  as  the  site  for  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant military  prisons  in  the  Confederacy.  But 
there  was  another  reason  why  it  was  thought  to  be 
suitable  for  such  a  prison, — it  contained  many  to- 
bacco warehouses  of  a  large  size  which  could  be 
easily  converted  into  convenient  buildings  for  the 
detention  of  captives.  At  all  times,  there  were 
from  six  to  seven  thousand  Federal  soldiers  penned 
up  here;  and  this  small  army  had  rather  increased 
than  fallen  off  in  number  as  the  end  of  hostilities 
drew  near.  Even  after  General  Lee  had  surrendered 
at  Appomattox,  the  doors  still  remained  closed,  and 
the  captives  within  were  for  some  time  longer  de- 
barred from  freedom. 

During  the  existence  of  this  crowded  prison,  it 
was  guarded  partly  by  disabled  Confederate  soldiers, 
partly  by  men  too  old  to  serve  actively  in  the  army, 
and  partly  by  boys  too  young.  The  person  at  the 
top  responsible  for  the  safe  keeping  of  all  these  cap- 
tives, and  for  the  discipline  of  the  squads  that  stood 


330  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

as  sentinels  over  them,  was  Colonel  Robert  E. 
Withers,  a  gallant  and  imposing  officer,  who  had 
been  shot  more  than  once  through  the  body,  and 
who  had  not  been  able  to  recover  sufficiently  from 
his  last  wound  to  return  to  his  command  in  the 
field. 

Among  the  numerous  difficulties  with  which  he 
had  constantly  to  contend  was  the  shortage  in  the 
food  supply,  a  condition  which  steadily  grew  more 
serious  even  for  the  citizens  of  the  town  as  the  war 
drew  slowly  to  a  conclusion.  The  wealthiest  began 
to  feel  the  pinch.  Meat,  even  by  them,  was  only 
eaten  once  in  twenty-four  hours;  and  quite  frequently 
it  was,  for  a  time,  not  obtainable  at  all.  Colonel 
Withers  himself,  the  most  influential  person  in  the 
community  and  occupying  the  highest  official  posi- 
tion there,  was  only  able  to  procure  enough  from 
day  to  day  to  satisfy  the  needs  of  a  delicate  daugh- 
ter under  age.  This  portion  was  thrown  into  the 
pot  along  with  a  large  quantity  of  black-eye  peas, 
so  that  the  peas  might  absorb  its  flavor  and  thus 
prove  more  nourishing  to  the  elders,  who  made 
their  dinner  on  this  and  other  vegetables;  followed, 
as  a  sweetmeat,  by  bread  and  sorghum  molasses. 
There  was  at  least  an  abundance  of  rice,  since  that 
staple  continued  throughout  the  war  to  be  culti- 
vated in  the  South. 

Amidst  this  universal  dearth,  the  prisoners  natur- 
ally fared   the  worse;   and   there   were  times  when 


THE  COLONEL  SAVED  THE  TOWN     331 

they  lacked  the  necessary  quantity  even  of  the 
coarse  food  which  was  given  out  to  them  from  day 
to  day.  The  negroes  were  not  reduced  to  such 
straits,  for  they  foraged  furtively  on  their  own 
hook;  and  not  a  single  receptacle  of  food,  whether 
belonging  to  their  masters  or  to  other  people,  was 
safe  from  their  intrusive  fingers  and  hungry  stom- 
achs. On  one  occasion,  Colonel  Withers  visited 
Mrs.  Stuart,  the  mother  of  the  famous  Confederate 
Cavalry  General,  who  resided  in  Danville,  and  to  his 
surprise,  found  a  very  fat  turkey  tied  by  the  leg  to 
a  handsome  rosewood  bedstead  in  the  principal 
sleeping  chamber. 

"Why  do  you  keep  this  noble  bird  in  your  best 
room?"  he  asked,  with  a  laugh. 

"It's  a  Christmas  present  from  friends  in  the 
country,"  was  the  reply.  "If  I  turned  it  out  in 
the  yard,  it  would  be  stolen  before  night." 

As  the  winter  of  1864-5,  the  last  and  most  har- 
rowing of  the  war,  dragged  on  to  an  end,  and  the 
military  outlook  grew  more  desperate  from  short- 
age of  men  and  food,  the  situation  of  the  people  of 
Danville  and  the  prisoners  became  steadily  more 
distressing  and  intolerable.  The  spring  opened 
with  no  promise  whatever  of  relief,  unless  it  was  to 
come  with  the  collapse  of  the  Confederacy,  which 
now  seemed  to  be  impending.  Early  in  April,  the 
news  was  received  that  General  Lee  had  abandoned 


332  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

the  trenches  around  Petersburg,  which  his  troops 
had  been  holding  so  valiantly  in  spite  of  hunger  and 
disparity  in  numbers. 

"Richmond  has  been  evacuated,"  was  the  next 
message  that  flashed  over  the  wires;  and  on  the 
following  morning,  Mr.  Davis  and  his  cabinet  ar- 
rived; but  this  only  served  to  deepen  the  prevailing 
gloom,  as  their  withdrawal  from  the  capital  indi- 
cated the  low  ebb  to  which  the  Confederacy  had 
fallen.  A  few  days  later,  the  report  spread  that 
General  Lee  had  surrendered,  and  the  probability 
of  its  truth  was  supported  by  what  was  told  by 
soldiers,  passing  through  the  town,  who  had  left 
the  army  for  one  reason  or  another  before  it  reached 
Appomattox.  Any  doubt  which  was  felt  at  first  as 
to  the  accuracy  of  the  rumor  rapidly  grew  less  and 
less,  without,  however,  diminishing  the  sense  of  un- 
certainty about  the  future  which  was  now  shared 
by  all. 

Not  long  after  Mr.  Davis  and  his  advisers  had 
left  for  the  South,  a  Confederate  General,  at  the 
head  of  a  considerable  body  of  veteran  cavalrymen, 
rode  into  town  and  publicly  announced  that  he  had 
been  ordered  to  burn  the  bridges  across  the  river, 
and  also  to  destroy  the  Confederate  stores  of  all 
sorts  that  had  been  collected  in  the  warehouses. 
Had  all  this  been  done,  Danville  would  have  suffered 
precisely  the  fate  which  had  just  overtaken  Rich- 


THE  COLONEL  SAVED  THE  TOWN     333 

mond, — an  inextinguishable  conflagration  would  have 
followed,  and  the  whole  town  would,  in  the  end, 
have  been  consumed.  As  the  Confederacy  had  now 
given  up  the  ghost  in  Virginia  at  least,  not  the 
smallest  military  advantage  would  have  accrued 
from  such  universal  ruin. 

The  first  man  to  recognize  this  fact  was  Colonel 
Withers;  and  instead  of  standing  helplessly  by  and 
seeing  thousands  of  people  rendered  wantonly  home- 
less, and  millions  of  dollars  in  property  given  over 
to  the  torch  for  a  mere  delusion,  he  came  forward 
boldly  to  face  the  military  authority  and  to  oppose 
the  consummation  of  such  an  act  of  folly  as  was 
intended.  Apart  from  his  conviction  as  to  the  use- 
lessness  of  such  destruction  at  this  hopeless  hour, 
he  had  reason  to  apprehend  that,  as  the  fires  should 
spread,  the  thousands  of  prisoners,  maddened  by 
their  hunger  and  thirsting  for  retaliation,  would 
have  to  be  released;  and  when  thus  turned  loose, 
would  overrun  the  streets  in  a  spirit  to  commit 
every  outrage  which  the  situation  permitted  and 
invited.  He  forcibly  pointed  out  to  the  Confeder- 
ate officer  the  certainty  of  these  disasters,  should 
he  insist  on  burning  the  bridges  and  the  stores  in 
the  warehouses. 

"I  have  my  orders,  Colonel,"  was  the  reply.  "I 
have  no  option.     I  must  carry  them  out." 

"Even  if  you  burn  the  bridges,  General,"  remon- 
strated Colonel  Withers,  "a  Federal  army  can  pass 


334  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

by  the  ford  a  short  distance  down  the  stream. 
Why  then  destroy  these  bridges  which  our  people 
need  hourly  and  cannot  replace?" 

But  the  General  was  immovable.  Colonel  Withers 
returned  to  the  prison  and  at  once  ordered  a  com- 
pany of  picked  guards  to  march  to  the  principal 
bridge  and  protect  it  with  musketry,  should  an  at- 
tempt be  made  to  set  it  on  fire.  When  a  small 
detachment  of  regular  soldiers  approached  for  the 
purpose,  they  were  sternly  warned  by  the  captain 
of  the  squad  to  halt,  and  the  butts  of  guns  were 
brought  to  the  shoulder  to  shoot  as  soon  as  the 
word  was  given.  The  officer  of  the  detachment, 
perceiving  that  he  was  about  to  be  resisted  to  the 
death,  commanded  his  men  to  face  about  and  re- 
turn to  headquarters.  No  further  effort  was  made 
to  destroy  the  bridges. 

But  the  General,  still  obedient,  like  the  soldier 
and  not  the  citizen,  to  his  orders  from  an  authority 
which  had  now  passed  away,  next  took  steps  to  ply 
the  torch  to  all  the  stores  housed  in  Danville.  As 
a  large  proportion  of  them  consisted  of  liquors  of 
various  kinds,  there  was  no  ground  for  objecting  to 
their  destruction, — indeed  it  was  advisable  that,  in 
that  hour  of  license  and  confusion,  they  should  be 
put  out  of  the  way, — but  it  was  necessary  that  this 
should  be  done  in  a  manner  that  would  not  en- 
danger the  safety  of  the  town.    A  warehouse  full  of 


The  Largest  Store-house  in  the  Town  Was  ox  Fire 


THE  COLONEL  SAVED  THE  TOWN     335 

wines  and  the  like  inflammable  articles  would  be 
certain  to  scatter  the  conflagration  at  the  very 
start  far  and  wide,  and,  in  the  end,  would  wrap 
every  building  in  flames. 

Again  Colonel  Withers  protested,  and  this  time 
successfully.  But  that  night,  after  he  had  gone  to 
bed,  he  was  awakened  with  the  news  that  the 
largest  store-house  in  the  town  was  on  fire.  Leap- 
ing from  his  bed,  and  hardly  stopping  to  put  on  all 
his  clothes,  he  hastened  to  the  General's  head- 
quarters, and  in  language  that  was  not  at  all  minced 
reproached  him  with  violating  his  promise.  But  in 
this  he  was  unjust,  for  the  General  proved  to  him 
that  the  fire  had  been  caused,  not  by  a  match  set 
to  the  outside  of  the  storehouse,  but  by  an  explo- 
sion of  alcohol  within  it;  the  men  with  candles,  who 
were  staving  in  the  barrels,  had  inadvertently 
knocked  in  the  head  of  a  cask  of  alcohol,  and  the 
vapor,  at  once  igniting,  had  thrown  the  whole  in- 
terior of  the  building  into  flames  that  could  not  be 
put  out.  The  explosion  had  instantly  killed  the 
officer  who  was  superintending  the  work  of  destruc- 
tion. As  the  night  was  calm,  the  fire  was  prevented 
from  spreading  to  the  surrounding  houses. 

Within  a  few  days,  the  General  and  his  cavalry- 
men rode  away  to  North  Carolina.  But  hardly  had 
they  vanished,  when  many  of  the  soldiers  who  had 
been    paroled    at   Appomattox   began    to    arrive    in 


336  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

town  on  their  way  to  their  homes  in  the  States 
situated  further  south.  Throughout  the  winter  and 
early  spring,  these  men  had  been  cooped  up  in  the 
trenches  of  Petersburg,  where  they  had  endured  the 
most  acute  hardships  from  lack  of  proper  food  and 
clothing.  When  the  retreat  began,  they  expected  to 
find  a  large  supply  of  rations  awaiting  them  at 
Amelia  Court-House;  but  when  they  reached  that 
place  the  only  provisions  which  they  had  to  eat 
were  the  scanty  quantity  that  had  been  obtained 
by   scouring   the   already  famished  countryside. 

Nor  did  their  situation  improve  in  this  respect  as 
they  marched  towards  Appomattox;  the  intervening 
region,  being  sparsely  inhabited  and  poorly  culti- 
vated, furnished  only  the  slimmest  rations  for  the 
men  and  the  most  meagre  forage  for  the  horses.  In 
the  history  of  war,  few  great  armies  have  come  as 
near  actual  starvation  as  this  one  did  in  the  last 
stage  of  the  retreat;  and  it  was  not  until  the  sur- 
render had  taken  place,  and  the  contents  of  the 
supply  trains,  intercepted  by  the  Federal  cavalry, 
had  been  distributed  among  the  soldiers,  that  they 
at  last  got  enough  to  satisfy  their  hunger. 

The  country  between  Appomattox  and  Danville, 
through  which  many  of  the  disbanded  Confederates 
were  compelled  to  pass  on  their  way  homeward, 
was  never  a  thickly  populated  region;  it  was,  in 
fact,   divided  for  the  most  part  into  large  estates, 


THE  COLONEL  SAVED  THE  TOWN     337 

which  had  been  thoroughly  drained  of  wheat,  corn, 
and  hay  by  the  long  trains  of  canvas-topped  wagons 
that  gathered  up  supplies  for  the  army.  It  happened 
that  the  end  of  the  war  came,  not  only  when  all 
the  crops  of  the  previous  season  had  been  carried 
off,  but  also  when  the  crops  of  the  new  either  had 
not  ripened  or  had  not  even  been  planted,  and,  in 
consequence,  the  numerous  bodies  of  returning 
soldiers,  straggling  along  the  public  roads,  could  find 
but  little  to  eat.  Whatever  they  were  able  to  pick 
up  was  obtained  by  side  excursions  that  only  served 
to  increase  the  fatigue  of  their  long  journey. 

It  was  not  long  before  several  thousand  men,  who 
had,  for  many  months,  been  enduring  all  the  hard- 
ships of  positive  hunger,  had  congregated  in  Dan- 
ville as  one  of  the  stages  in  their  journey  southward. 
That  town,  being  at  a  distance  from  the  scenes  of 
the  campaigns  in  Virginia  and  the  West,  had  be- 
come, as  has  been  already  pointed  out,  a  centre  for 
the  accumulation  of  many  kinds  of  supplies.  The 
needs  of  seven  thousand  prisoners  alone  required  a 
large  quantity  of  food  and  clothing  to  satisfy.  Re- 
port, naturally  enough  when  men  were  feeling  the 
pinch  of  starvation,  exaggerated  the  volume  of 
stores  that  were  lying  behind  the  walls  of  the  Gov- 
ernment warehouses.  Did  not  all  know  that,  so  far 
as  Virginia  at  least  was  concerned,  the  Confederacy 
was    now    entirely    defunct?     Had    not    its    repre- 


338  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

sentative,  at  the  head  of  an  armed  detachment,  en- 
deavored, a  few  days  before,  in  obedience  to  his 
orders,  to  destroy  these  stores  by  the  use  of  the 
torch?  If  left  untouched,  would  they  not  be  soon 
seized  by  the  Federal  advance  guard  and  consumed 
by  the  Federal  soldiers  and  the  released  Federal 
prisoners? 

"We  are  hungry,  we  are  in  tatters,"  was  the  cry 
of  the  disbanded  soldiers.  "This  food,  these  clothes, 
are  as  much  ours  as  anybody's  at  this  moment. 
We  need  them,  and  we  propose  to  take  them. 
There  is  nobody  who  has  any  right  to  stand  in  our 
way." 

Now  it  happened  that  the  families  that  inhabited 
the  surrounding  country  had  suffered,  during  the 
previous  winter,  almost  as  many  hardships  as  the 
soldiers  in  the  ranks.  They  had  known  what  it 
was  to  be  gnawed  by  a  hunger  which  they  were 
unable  to  appease  owing  to  the  impoverishment  of 
their  own  larders.  Many  forms  of  food,  common 
enough  before  the  war,  had  long  ago  entirely  van- 
ished, and  it  had  been  a  frequent  experience  with 
all  to  lack  at  times  even  cornbread  and  meat.  Nor 
were  they  in  a  better  condition  as  to  clothes;  all 
that  they  possessed  had  been  manufactured  by  their 
own  hands  out  of  the  coarsest  home-produced 
material.  Want  had  stared  at  them  from  their  own 
door  sills,  and  it  was  doing  so  at  the  hour  of  the 


THE  COLONEL  SAVED  THE  TOWN     339 

Confederacy's  collapse  more  sinisterly  than  at  any 
previous  moment.  They  too  had  heard  the  exag- 
gerated rumors  touching  the  contents  of  the  Dan- 
ville warehouses,  and  so  they  determined  that  they 
would  go  to  town  in  a  body  and  share  in  the  ex- 
pected distribution.  On  their  arrival  there,  they  at 
once  fraternized  with  the  famished  soldiery  and  ac- 
companied them  from  warehouse  to  warehouse. 

"This  one,"  they  said,  "is  full  of  shoes.  You 
have  only  to  break  in  the  doors  to  obtain  all  that 
you  need  to  cover  your  half  naked  feet.  That  ware- 
house across  the  street  is  full  of  clothes.  You  can 
find  there  all  the  coats  and  trousers  you  require. 
The  warehouse  beyond  that  one  is  full  of  meat  and 
flour.  There  is  enough  there  to  satisfy  the  appetite 
of  a  small  army." 

Was  it  singular,  that,  under  such  seductive  guid- 
ance, the  soldiers,  egged  on  also  by  their  own  urgent 
needs,  should  have  begun  to  batter  in  the  doors 
which  were  to  open  up  such  abundance?  But  when 
they  had  staved  in  the  thick  panels,  they  found  the 
interiors  of  the  storehouses  either  entirely  empty 
or  filled  with  articles  that  would  neither  satisfy  their 
hunger  nor  clothe  their  bodies. 

Disappointment  caused  the  demoralization  to 
spread.  There  was  now  danger  that  the  private 
homes  would  be  invaded,  their  furniture  damaged  in 
the  confusion,  the  wardrobes  rifled,  the  supplies  of 


340  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

food  consumed,  and  the  families  terrified.  The 
Mayor,  very  mucn  alarmed,  summoned  the  town 
Council  to  meet  at  once.  The  first  question  con- 
sidered was:  should  Colonel  Withers  be  asked  to 
put  himself  at  the  head  of  the  community  and  re- 
store order?  He  was  known  to  be  a  man  of  extra- 
ordinary firmness  and  courage,  and  all  minds  turned 
to  him  instinctively.  But  it  was  suggested  that, 
should  he  be  given  absolute  power,  he  would  cer- 
tainly declare  martial  law  and  every  citizen  would 
be  compelled  by  him  to  do  guard  duty.  The 
council  broke  up  after  adopting  only  one  measure 
of  defense, — the  police  force  of  the  town  was  to  be 
immediately  increased. 

By  the  following  morning,  the  spirit  of  disorder 
had  become  more  rampant  because  the  pangs  of 
hunger  had  had  twelve  hours  within  which  to  grow 
sharper.  What  was  simply  threatened  yesterday 
by  the  mob,  they  now  attempted  to  carry  out. 
When  they  started  off  for  the  private  houses  in 
search  of  the  bread,  bacon,  and  sugar  which  they 
presumed  was  to  be  found  in  the  store-rooms,  a 
returned  soldier  of  great  size  and  formidable  aspect 
quickly  put  himself  at  their  head,  and  under  his 
leadership,  they  crowded  into  the  first  house  and 
rifled  it  of  every  scrap  of  food  which  it  contained. 

News  of  this  action  of  the  mob  soon  came  to 
Colonel    Withers    at    the    Confederate    prison.     He 


THE  COLONEL  SAVED  THE  TOWN     341 

promptly  formed  a  squad  from  among  the  members 
of  the  guard,  and  followed  by  them,  with  their  guns 
prepared  for  instant  use,  started  on  the  run  for  the 
spot.  When  he  arrived  there,  the  leader  of  the  mob 
had  been  arrested,  and  the  mob  itself  dispersed  by 
the  Mayor  of  the  town,  with  the  aid  of  a  large 
body  of  policemen.  But  so  soon  as  the  disorderly 
assemblage  was  broken  up  in  one  place,  it  would 
come  together  again  in  another,  with  the  same 
threat  of  rifling  the  private  houses  of  clothes  and 
food. 

Later  in  the  afternoon,  Colonel  Withers  was  again 
hastily  summoned.  He  was  informed  that  several 
thousand  disbanded  soldiers,  who  had  just  arrived 
on  two  trains,  were  breaking  into  the  houses  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  station,  in  their  search  for  something 
to  eat  and  wear.  On  reaching  the  spot,  he  found 
to  his  relief  that  they  had  only  entered  the  Armory 
and  Arsenal;  and  that  they  had  done  this  at  the 
instance  of  the  country  people,  who  had  told  them 
that  these  buildings  contained  large  quantities  of 
the  articles  which  were  so  much  desired.  But  so 
soon  as  they  had  seen  that  neither  flour,  bacon,  nor 
clothes  were  stored  there,  they  had  returned  to  the 
station.  When  Colonel  Withers,  going  among  them, 
earnestly  remonstrated  with  them  for  committing 
such  an  act  of  violence,  so  foreign  to  their  military 
record, 


342  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

"We  cannot  help  it,"  they  replied,  "we  are  really- 
starving.  You  can  see  we  are  almost  in  rags.  Un- 
less you  can  persuade  the  railway  superintendent  to 
forward  our  trains  southward,  it  will  be  impossible 
to  control  the  men.  They  must  have  food,  and  get 
it  they  will,  even  if  they  have  to  go  through  the 
private  houses  for  it." 

"Why  don't  you  dispatch  these  soldiers'  trains 
right  away,"  demanded  Colonel  Withers  of  the 
superintendent,  to  whose  office  he  had  gone  at  once. 

"The  railroad  employees  are  so  demoralized,"  was 
the  answer,  "that  they  cannot  be  induced  to  even 
pump  the  water  into  the  tender.  They  have  pretty 
well  all  disappeared." 

Colonel  Withers  returned  at  once  to  the  station, 
and  mounting  to  a  platform,  which  brought  him 
into  the  full  view  of  the  great  throng  of  soldiers, 
cried  out  at  the  top  of  his  voice: 

"Attention!  Who  will  come  forward  to  pump 
water  for  the  engine?" 

Several  men  immediately  spoke  up. 

"We  started  to  pump,  but  just  as  soon  as  we 
began,  the  crowd  rushed  into  the  cars,  and  when 
we  saw  that  no  room  would  be  left  for  us,  we 
stopped." 

"I  will  post  guards  at  the  door  of  each  car,"  re- 
plied Colonel  Withers,  "and  not  a  man  shall  be 
allowed  to  enter  until  you  have  finished  pumping 
and  been  admitted  to  your  seats." 


THE  COLONEL  SAVED  THE  TOWN     343 

The  tank  was  soon  full  of  water;  the  men  who 
had  pumped  it  in  walked  into  the  cars  ahead  of 
their  comrades;  the  engineer  got  up  steam;  and  the 
train  fairly  bursting  with  its  bronzed,  tattered,  half- 
starving  passengers  rolled  slowly  away  southward. 
At  once,  Colonel  Withers  directed  his  attention  to 
starting  the  second  train,  but  while  he  was  so  en- 
gaged, a  loud  explosion  occurred,  followed  by  others 
in  rapid  succession.  Immediately,  the  country 
people,  who  had  collected  in  large  numbers  on  the 
outskirts  of  the  crowd  of  soldiers  still  occupying  the 
station,  raised  the  cry: 

"The  Yankees  have  come.  They  are  shelling  the 
town,  they  are  shelling  the  town.     Run,  run." 

The  rustics  took  to  their  heels;  nor  did  they  pause 
until  they  had  gone  far  on  the  road  to  their  rural 
homes, — a  fortunate  riddance,  as  they  had,  during 
two  days,  been  solely  employed  in  egging  on  the 
soldiery  in  their  search  for  food  and  clothing  which 
did  not  exist.  The  explosion  had  really  taken  place 
at  the  Arsenal.  That  building  was  full  of  shells, 
cartridges,  and  other  munitions,  and  as  the  separ- 
ate stores  caught  on  fire  in  turn,  the  heavy  reports, 
following  at  short  intervals,  caused  the  impression 
that  both  cannon  and  musketry  had  been  used  in 
an  attack  on  the  town.  When  the  soldiers,  finding 
no  food  or  clothing  in  the  Arsenal,  had  abandoned 
it,  a  band  of  boys  and  young  men  had  crept  inside 


344  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

to  obtain  powder  and  firearms,  and,  while  engaged 
in  rummaging  about  among  the  piles,  had  dropped 
a  match  or  cigar,  which  had  caused  the  series  of 
explosions.  Not  one  escaped  alive  in  the  destruction 
which  ensued. 

So  great  was  the  confusion  that  now  prevailed 
in  all  parts  of  the  town,  and  so  general  was  the 
alarm  felt  by  the  citizens,  that  there  was  an  urgent 
demand  for  another  meeting  of  the  council  and  the 
adoption  of  the  sternest  methods  for  enforcing  public 
order.  The  council  assembled  and  at  once  decided 
to  request  Colonel  Withers  to  take  absolute  control 
over  the  entire  community  as  the  only  course  that 
seemed  to  offer  the  smallest  protection  to  life  and 
property.  The  autocratic  trust  was  immediately  ac- 
cepted, and  so  energetically  did  he  act  that,  within 
a  few  hours,  he  had  organized  all  the  men  and 
youths,  from  the  age  of  sixteen  to  that  of  fifty,  into 
squads  of  twenty;  and  at  each  ferry,  ford,  and 
bridge  leading  into  the  town  from  the  country  on 
the  riverside,  and  at  the  head  of  each  street  on  the 
open  rural  side,  he  stationed  one  of  these  squads, 
with  orders  to  bar  the  entrance  of  every  human 
being  who  might  attempt  to  come  in. 

It  was  a  wise  precaution,  for  only  a  short  time 
after  these  guards  were  posted,  large  bands  of 
country  people,  eager  for  booty  and  relieved  of  all 
alarm  about  the  supposed  bombardment,  began  to 


THE  COLONEL  SAVED  THE  TOWN     345 

return  to  the  town  on  foot,  horseback,  and  in  farm 
wagons.  They  were  everywhere  halted  by  the 
squads,  who,  lifting  their  muskets  to  their  shoulders, 
threatened  to  shoot  the  first  person  who  crossed 
the  dead  line.  Though  exposed  to  a  shower  of  dis- 
appointed curses,  they  held  back  the  excited  crowd 
until  the  latter  perceived  that  they  could  not  enter 
the  town  except  by  the  sacrifice  of  the  lives  of  hun- 
dreds of  their  own  number;  and  under  the  influence 
of  this  conviction  they  sullenly  turned  their  faces 
homeward.  The  greatest  danger  that  had  threatened 
the  community  was,  by  their  reluctant  retreat,  com- 
pletely averted,  for  the  disbanded  soldiers  who  re- 
mained in  the  town,  having  never  desired  to  appro- 
priate any  articles  except  food  and  clothes,  which 
they  so  sorely  needed,  were  satisfied  as  far  as  pos- 
sible in  their  wants,  and  assisted  to  continue  their 
journey  towards  their  homes. 

There  was  now  only  one  additional  peril  in  sight 
to  be  provided  against.  How  was  the  town  to  be 
protected  from  the  depredations  of  the  Federal 
prisoners,  should  they  succeed  in  breaking  through 
their  walls?  There  were  eight  thousand  of  these 
men,  who  had  barely  kept  soul  and  body  together 
on  their  short  rations,  and  their  humor  could  not 
be  trusted,  should  they  be  able  to  strike  off  their 
shackles.  They  were  now  overawed  only  by  small 
squads  of  new  guards,  for  the  trained  ones  had 
gone  off  with  the  disbanded  Confederate  soldiers. 


346  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

Before  this  peril  could  become  a  reality,  the  town 
was  confronted  by  a  new  and  entirely  unexpected 
danger,  which  had  to  be  promptly  faced  and  re- 
moved. It  was  reported  to  Colonel  Withers  that 
a  large  body  of  Federal  bummers,  who  had  been 
hanging  on  the  skirts  of  the  Federal  army,  were 
rapidly  approaching  Danville  in  open  cars  propelled 
by  crank  or  pole  over  the  metals  of  the  railway 
from  Richmond.  How  was  this  new  peril  to  be 
met?  If  these  men  were  allowed  to  enter  the  town, 
they  would  commit  the  very  wrongs  which  had 
been  staved  off  so  successfully  during  the  last  few 
days, — they  would  rob  and  burn,  without  the  slight- 
est chance  of  redress  on  the  part  of  those  who  suf- 
fered. All  the  trained  guards,  as  we  have  seen,  had 
departed,  and  the  untrained  squads  were  needed  to 
overawe  the  prisoners  and  the  country  people. 

Colonel  Withers  telegraphed  General  Wright  the 
character  of  the  situation,  but  the  General,  who  was 
expected  to  pass  through  Danville  on  his  way  to 
join  Sherman  in  North  Carolina,  replied  that  it 
would  be  impossible  to  send  any  assistance;  and  that 
he  must  take  such  steps  for  the  protection  of  the 
town  as  he  thought  proper. 

When  this  non-committal  response  was  received, 
the  bummers  were  reported  to  be  only  twelve  miles 
off.  Colonel  Withers,  not  at  all  discouraged,  made 
up  a  squad  composed  entirely  of  the  petty  officers 


THE  COLONEL  SAVED  THE  TOWN     347 

who  had  charge  of  the  guards  at  the  prison,  men 
who  had  been  chosen  for  that  position  of  extreme 
responsibility  on  account  of  their  superior  firmness 
and  intelligence.  It  was  just  such  a  body  as  he 
needed  in  this  new  crisis;  and  putting  himself  at 
their  head,  he  marched  them  straight  to  the  station, 
where  the  bummers  were  now  momentarily  expected. 
The  squad  numbered  only  twenty  men.  Their 
leader  posted  them  on  either  side  of  the  track  just 
where  it  entered  the  town,  in  a  position  to  command 
its  length  for  a  considerable  distance. 

Soon  the  first  car  rolled  into  view.  The  bummers, 
who  occupied  it,  held  their  muskets  between  their 
knees  as  they  sat  sideways  around  the  platform. 
They  presented  a  very  forbidding  and  threatening 
aspect  as  they  were  ordered  to  come  to  a  full  stop 
between  the  two  files. 

"Throw  down  your  arms,"  cried  out  Colonel 
Withers,  "or  you  are  dead  men." 

The  members  of  the  squad  raised  their  revolvers 
and  took  aim. 

The  bummers,  assuming  an  air  of  defiance,  began 
to  offer  a  noisy  remonstrance  at  such  interference. 

"Not  one  word,"  exclaimed  Colonel  Withers, 
"throw  down  your  arms  and  surrender  or  your 
lives  are  the  forfeit." 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  meaning  of  either  the 
language   or   the   attitude    of   this   tall    determined 


348  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

man  in  Confederate  uniform.  The  bummers  sul- 
lenly gave  up  their  muskets,  and  under  the  pistol 
muzzles  of  a  couple  of  the  squad,  were  marched  off 
to  the  prison. 

Hardly  had  they  vanished  down  the  nearest  street 
when  another  car  rolled  in.  The  second  company 
of  bummers  were  arrested  and  subdued  in  the  same 
resolute  manner  as  the  first,  and  followed  their 
comrades  to  the  prison.  A  third  and  fourth  car 
appeared,  and  the  passengers  of  each  in  their  turn 
had  the  like  history.  Eighty  bummers  were  soon 
cooling  their  heels  under  the  ceiling  of  the  same 
large  apartment.  Colonel  Withers,  who  had  re- 
mained at  the  station  until  convinced  that  the  last 
car  had  come  in,  returned  to  the  prison,  and  at  once 
went  to  the  room  which  was  occupied  by  his  latest 
captives. 

"What  right  have  you  to  detain  us,"  they  ex- 
claimed, with  an  angry  shout,  as  he  entered,  "the 
war  is  over." 

"I  arrested  you  for  your  own  sakes,"  he  calmly 
replied.  "You  are  not  safe  in  this  town.  If  I  were 
to  set  you  free,  many  of  you  and  many  of  our  citi- 
zens would  be  killed." 

Then  turning  to  one  among  them  who  seemed  to 
exercise  some  authority  over  them  all,  he  said: 

"General  Wright  telegraphs  me  that  he  will  be 
here  tomorrow  with  his  troops.     I  know  you  would 


THE  COLONEL  SAVED  THE  TOWN     349 

rather  see  the  devil  than  to  be  turned  over  to  him. 
Now  if  you  will  agree  to  remain  quietly  in  the  guard 
house  tonight,  I  will  guarantee  you  kind  treatment, 
a  good  supper,  and  a  release  tomorrow  morning  early 
enough  for  you  to  leave  town  before  the  General 
arrives." 

They  consented,  although  with  undisguised  re- 
luctance, to  this  arrangement,  which  was  afterwards 
strictly  carried  out  by  Colonel  Withers.  He  in- 
duced some  of  his  friends  among  the  town  people  to 
cook  an  excellent  supper  for  his  captives;  they  were 
made  comfortable  for  the  night  under  a  strong  guard; 
and  next  morning,  when  General  Wright  was  an- 
nounced to  be  within  a  mile  of  Danville,  they  were 
released.  They  had  vehemently  demanded  their 
freedom  at  dawn,  but  as  they  were  suspected  of  an 
intention  to  commit  as  many  depredations  as  pos- 
sible in  the  interval  of  license  which  this  would  give 
them,  their  request  was  promptly  and  positively 
refused. 

When  the  advance  body  of  the  Federal  troops 
appeared,  Colonel  Withers  and  one  of  his  officers 
bearing  a  flag  of  truce  met  them  at  the  bridge  which 
led  into  the  town.  They  were  received  with  court- 
esy by  the  commander,  but  were  ordered  to  return 
to  their  quarters.  It  was  with  a  feeling  of  relief 
that  Colonel  Withers  obeyed,  for  at  last  all  responsi- 
bility for  the  prisoners  was  shifted  from  his  shoul- 


350  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

ders.  With  the  presence  of  Federal  soldiers  in  the 
town,  the  danger  of  the  captives  running  amuck 
when  released  was  removed. 

An  hour  passed,  and  General  Wright  entered  Colonel 
Withers's  office  at  the  prison. 

"I  understand,  Colonel,"  he  said,  "that  you  have 
about  one  hundred  of  my  men  in  custody  in  your 
guard  house." 

"A  mistake,  General.  I  have  no  one  in  the  guard 
house  now." 

"Strange.  I  heard  it  as  I  thought  from  a  reli- 
able source." 

"Well,  General,  I  did  have  them  there  last  night, 
but  I  turned  them  loose  this  morning." 

"What  did  you  do  that  for?  I  would  have  sup- 
posed an  officer  of  your  rank  would  have  had  no 
sympathy  with  such  a  lot  of  bummers.  I  would 
have  given  anything  in  reason  to  have  got  hold  of 
them." 

"I  too  would  have  been  glad,  as  I  had  not  the 
slightest  desire  to  shield  them.  You  advised  me  to 
do  the  best  I  could,  and  I  did  so.  As  they  kept 
their  part  of  the  bargain,  I  was  bound  to  keep 
mine." 

A  provost-marshal  was  at  once  appointed  to  take 
charge  of  the  town,  and  within  a  few  hours,  the 
many  thousand  prisoners  were  set  free.  No  dis- 
order, no  indulgence  in  excesses  of  any  kind,  followed 


THE  COLONEL  SAVED  THE  TOWN     351 

their  release.  They  remained  in  the  vicinity  until 
trains  were  brought  up  to  afford  them  a  passage  to 
their  homes  in  the  North. 

Colonel  Withers  had  saved  Danville  from  the 
looting  country  people,  from  the  famished  Confed- 
erate soldiers,  from  the  marauding  Federal  bum- 
mers, and  finally  from  the  possible  depredations  of 
thousands  of  hungry  and  angry  captives.  Deter- 
mination, firmness,  courage,  promptness, — these  were 
the  great  qualities  which  he  had  shown  in  the 
difficult  and  perplexing  situation  in  which  he  was 
placed,  and  they  entitled  him  to  as  much  honor  as 
the  coolness  and  bravery  which  he  had  always  dis- 
played on  the  field  of  battle. 


BRAVE - DEEDS 


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